Top three players to watch out for Iran in CAFA Nations Cup 2025

Iran are the defending champions of the CAFA Nations Cup.

Iran will be making their entry into the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 as overwhelming favorites. In terms of both FIFA rankings and quality, they are miles ahead of other participants. The only team that can be expected to match Iran’s calibre are the co-hosts Uzbekistan, but they are in Group A. Iran are placed in Group B alongside Tajikistan, India, and Afghanistan.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei has a strong team at his disposal. Iran have a bunch of experienced players who have proved themselves on the international stage. There are a few major absentees for Team Melli, but they are still frontrunners to win the competition. In this article, we will look into the top 3 Iranian players to watch out for in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.

Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh

Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh will pose a tricky challenge for India. The 24-year-old Tractor FC forward has been scoring a lot of goals in the last 12 months. For his club, which ended up winning the Iranian top division, Hosseinzadeh scored 22 goals in 36 games.

Not just that, but he provided 8 assists as well. His ability to hammer the opposition defence with clinical finishing makes him lethal for Iran. He has started the tournament with a brilliant brace against Afghanistan. In Mehdi Taremi’s absence, the responsibility to take up the goalscoring mantle would be on him.

Stopping him would take some effort from the Indian defence, but looking back at the last match, India will definitely put bodies on the line to prevent Hosseinzadeh from registering his name on the scoresheet.

Roozbeh Chehmi

The 32-year-old midfielder is one of the main figures in the Iranian team. Roozbeh Chehmi has a wealth of experience, and with a calm head, he dictates the proceedings in the midfield. He is not a stranger to those who follow Indian Football as he was once linked with a move to an Indian Super League club. He is also famous for his late goal against Wales in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Cheshmi has a dominating presence in the midfield. He mostly operates deep in the midfield, thwarting any attack from the opposition and linking up with the backline to progress the ball. The limelight is often hogged by the goal scorers, but it is the players like Roozbeh Cheshmi who are the soul of a team, doing their job in the background and helping their team gain ground.

Mohammad Mohebbi

Mohammad Mohebbi is the go-to man for Iran on the left wing. He is their main outlet when it comes to creating chances from the left. Mohebbi has been in fine form for Iran in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. In his last five appearances for Iran, Mohebbi has an impressive four goals to his name.

The 26-year-old left winger plays for FC Rostov in the Premier Liga, the Russian top division. That shows the quality of the player. He would be one of the contenders to finish as the highest goal scorer in the tournament for Iran, alongside Mahedi Taremi. Defenders will have a tough time stopping his electric runs down the left wing.

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