PREVIEW-Soccer-Amid disruption of war, Iran's aging squad eye World Cup progress

Iran are grouped with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt at the June 11 to July 19 tournament, which represents a final shot at success for many in a squad that had previously been expected to reach the knockout rounds for the first ⁠time but ​came up short. In each of ⁠Iran's six appearances at the World Cup, stretching back to their debut in 1978, the country has exited the competition at the end of ⁠the group phase, achieving only three wins in 18 matches.

The build-up to Iran's fourth straight World Cup appearance ​has been heavily disrupted by the conflict with ​the United States and Israel, leaving coach ‌Amir ​Ghalenoei little time to raise fitness levels and develop match sharpness in his aging squad.

All but six of Ghalenoei's squad are based in the country's Persian Gulf ‌Pro League, which has been suspended for weeks as a result of the hostilities. The coach acknowledged that the World Cup will be the last time many of the senior players represent the side.

"We hope to put on acceptable performances at the ‌World Cup, and then prepare for the Asian Cup, because after the World Cup we will also undergo ‌a generational change," he said recently. Iran are grouped with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt at the June 11 to July 19 tournament, which represents a final shot at success for many in a squad that had previously been expected to reach the knockout rounds for the first ⁠time but ​came up short.

In each of ⁠Iran's six appearances at the World Cup, stretching back to their debut in 1978, the country has exited the competition at the end of ⁠the group phase, achieving only three wins in 18 matches. The most agonising of those eliminations have come in the last two ​editions, with Iran picking up wins over Morocco in 2018 and Wales in 2022 only to miss out ⁠on the last 16.

Many of the key performers from those two tournaments, when Iran were coached by Carlos Queiroz, remain in the squad and ⁠16 ​are at least 30, including defenders Shoja Khalilzadeh (37) and Ehsan Hajsafi (36). Another member of the old guard is striker Mehdi Taremi, once a potent scorer in the UEFA Champions League with Porto but who, at 33, lacks some of ⁠the threat of the past.

Taremi has been denied his regular strike partner Sardar Azmoun, who has not been selected, ⁠while captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh will ⁠be playing at his fourth finals. Despite the creaking limbs of many within the squad, the Iranians will be confident of reaching the last 32 at the expanded tournament, with ‌a third-place finish ‌in the group possibly enough to secure progress.