Indian Football Team Rival Watch: Iran

India will play against Iran in the CAFA Nations Cup on September 1.

With the Indian National Men’s Football Team participating in the CAFA Nations Cup for the first time, we take a look at the opponents they’ll face in the tournament. For their opener, the Blue Tigers will take on Tajikistan, but their toughest test probably comes in the second game, where they take on the mighty Iran.

Ranked at a tremendous 20th in FIFA rankings, the Persian Stars have never dropped below 50th in the last ten years. India, on the other hand, is currently slumped at 133, although having broken through the top 100 under Stephen Constantine a few years back.

Between December 2014 and May 2018, Iran was the highest-ranked team in Asia, the longest continuous period of time that a team has held that distinction.

The two sides have met 10 times in all competitions, with Iran dominating, having won 8 games to India’s solitary victory. The teams have played one out, a goalless draw as well. India’s only win against them came in the 1951 Asian Games during the Golden Age of the sport in the country.

Also Read: Iran announce 27-member squad for CAFA Nations Cup 2025

Recent Performances

Iran qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by topping their group in the AFC third round. They secured wins against teams like North Korea, UAE, Kyrgyzstan, and Qatar, finishing with 23 points and 7 wins in 10 games. The Persian Stars have been outside footballing action ever since their qualification campaign ended in June.

They have lost only one match in their last 10, coming against Qatar in Doha. The side is the clear favourites to win this trophy and will be looking to pick up right where they left off from their 3-0 win against North Korea in Tehran in June. They kicked off the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 with a 3-1 win against Afghanistan.

The Coach

Amir Ghalenoei is set to lead the side into the tournament as Head Coach. He has been the coach of the side since 2023 and has extensive experience in coaching Iranian players, having coached various clubs in the country for more than 25 years.

Ghalenoei has a 75.76% win rate, having recorded 25 wins, 6 draws, and 2 losses in 33 games for the nation. He reached the semi-finals of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, losing to eventual champions Qatar.

Players to watch out for

Saman Ghoddos

Despite being born in Sweden and starting his international journey with the Swedes, Ghoddos changed his nationality in 2017 and started representing the Persian Stars. After having played for various clubs in Sweden, Ghoddos got the opportunity to play in the prestigious Premier League while he was with Amiens in France.

A 3-year stint at Brentford followed as Ghoddos scored 5 goals for the Bees between 2021 to 2024. He is currently playing for Kalba FC in the UAE. A versatile forward, Ghoddos is a prized asset in every manager’s attack, positioning himself as per the team’s demands.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh

Jahanbakhsh was one of the top talents to emerge from Iran in recent times. In 2014, Jahanbakhsh was voted the second greatest young talent of the 2013–14 Eredivisie season. In the 2017–18 Eredivisie season, Jahanbakhsh scored 21 league goals, making him the first Asian player to become top scorer in a major European league.

Also serving as the captain of the side, the former Brighton and Hove Albion forward can cause some serious problems to Sandesh Jhingan and fellow defenders. He has 17 goals in 91 appearances for the National Team and is currently playing for SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands.

Mehdi Taremi

Mehdi Taremi is undoubtedly Iran’s poster boy. He is Ghalenoei’s most potent weapon in the Iranian artillery. The 33-year-old has a whopping 55 goals for his country in 94 matches and is a UEFA Champions League Final runner-up with Internazionale in the previous season.

A three-pronged attack of Ghoddos, Jahanbakhsh, and Taremi is going to undoubtedly make life difficult for Gurpreet Singh and co, who will have to bring their A-game if they are to dream of a clean sheet against these European club football veterans.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.