India vs Iran: 5 Iranians to look out for
Iran football teamThe Indian national football team will have to pull off an upset against the best team in Asia in the shape of Iran in order to keep their 2018 World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup hopes alive. This will be India's 3rd group match in the World Cup and AFC Asian Cup qualification process.After having lost the first two matches to Guam and Oman, the young Indian side have to get a result against the side who are ranked 115 places above them in the FIFA World rankings. On the other hand, the Iranians who are ranked 40 in the FIFA rankings will be high on confidence from their huge 6-0 win against Guam and will be looking to top their group with a win against the Indian team.Iran has been by far the Asian side in the footballing world with 3 AFC Asian Cups(1968,1972,1976) to their name and will be looking to qualify for their 14th Asian cup in 2019. They have also qualified for 4 World Cups in the past, with the latest one coming in the 2014 World Cup.Let us have a look at 5 Iranian players who can have a huge impact on the game:
#1 Jalal Hosseini
The 33-year old Iranian defender currently plays for the home-based club Naft Tehran FC in the Persian Gulf Pro League after having agreed a move from his old club Al-Ahli Sports Club on a free transfer.
He has been an integral part of the Iran National team since making his debut for the senior side against Belarus in February 2007. The defender has represented Iran at 3 AFC Asian Cups(2007,2011, 2015) and at the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup and is currently the vice-captain of the Iranian national football team.
The centre-back has won three Perian Gulf Pro League titles(2009, 2010, 2011) with the Iranian club Sepahan FC before he joined the Tehran-based club Persepolis FC in the year 2012. While playing for Persepolis FC, he was granted the title of 'Defender of the year' for the 2013-2014 Persian Gulf Pro Season.
He has 96 National caps to his name in which he found the back of the net on 6 occasions.