Iran manager Carlos Queiroz has named his provisional 28-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil next month. There are certainly a few names European football fans might recognise. Perhaps the most notable is Fulham midfielder Ashkan Dejagah, who's one of the few Cottagers players to emerge from their horrible season with much credibility.
World Cup 2014 squads: Ashkan Dejagah makes Iran’s preliminary roster
Iran manager Carlos Queiroz has revealed his preliminary World Cup squad.
Thananuwat Srirasant
Also included are Eintracht Braunschweig goalkeeper Daniel Davari and ex-Osasuna midfielder and national team captain Javad Nekounam, who has made well over a century of appearances for Iran. Charlton Athletic striker Reza Ghoochannejhad — handily nicknamed "Gucci" — also makes the grade, as does the Vancouver Whitecaps defender Steven Beitashour.
Perhaps the most notable surprising decision from Queiroz is to leave out 35-year-old striker Ali Karimi, who has played 127 times for Iran.
Goalkeepers: Daniel Davari (Eintracht Braunschweig), Alireza Haghighi (Sporting Covilha, on loan from Rubin Kazan), Rahman Ahmadi (Sepahan), Sousha Makani (Foolad Khuzestan).
Defenders: Khosro Heidari (Esteghlal), Hossein Mahini (Persepolis), Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps), Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal), Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Amir Sadeghi (Esteghlal), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Zob Ahan), Ahmad Alenemeh (Naft), Hashem Beikzadeh (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Mehrdad Pooladi (Persepolis).
Midfielders: Javad Nekounam (Al Kuwait), Andranik Teymourian (Esteghlal), Reza Haghighi (Persepolis), Ghasem Hadadifar (Zob Ahan), Bakhtiyar Rahmani (Foolad), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen), Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham).
Forwards: Masoud Shojaei (Las Palmas), Mohammad Reza Khalatbari (Persepolis), Mehdi Sharifi (Sepahan), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Charlton), Karim Ansarifard (Persepolis, on loan at Tractor Sazi), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan).
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