Iran's 2026 World Cup Blueprint: Beiranvand, Taremi, and Missing Azmoun
Iran’s path to World Cup 2026 is already taking shape, and it begins in a familiar place: between the posts.
Beiranvand’s Goal, Beiranvand’s Story
At 33, Alireza Beiranvand is still the man Iran trusts most. More than 80 caps, three World Cup cycles, and one unforgettable night when he denied Cristiano Ronaldo from the spot in 2018.
His journey remains as compelling as his presence in goal. A boy who ran away from his nomad family at 12, slept on the streets of Tehran, took any job he could find, and forced his way into professional football. Now he stands on the brink of another World Cup as Iran’s No. 1, this time as Tractor’s last line of defence and the emotional anchor of Team Melli.
Hossein Hosseini, reliable and sharp at Sepahan, pushes him hard. On form alone, he is a serious contender, but the weight of Beiranvand’s experience in USA, Mexico and Canada is likely to keep him as back-up.
Behind them, Payam Niazmand of Persepolis and young Mohammad Khalifeh from Aluminium Arak FC are fighting for the third spot. One seat, two very different profiles: Niazmand with his domestic pedigree, Khalifeh with his promise. The margins will be thin.
Midfield Brains and Balance
If Beiranvand is the symbol at the back, the pulse of this team runs through Saman Ghoddos.
The Kalba midfielder is a key figure for Iran, a player who can knit attacks together, drop deep to help build play, or drift into pockets where defenders lose him. His versatility makes him central to Amir Ghalenoei’s plans for 2026.
Alongside him, Saeid Ezatolahi remains a pillar. Now at Shabab Al Ahli, he missed the March friendlies with a foot injury, but the expectation is clear: he should be ready for the summer, and Iran will need his control and discipline in front of the back four.
There is depth, too. Omid Noorafkan at Sepahan and Mohammad Ghorbani at Al Wahda bring experience and steel. They know the demands of international football, they understand the rhythms of tournament play, and they give Ghalenoei options when the game turns into a battle.
Then there is the wildcard. Amir Razzaghinia, the young Esteghlal midfielder, offers something different. Energy, fearlessness, and the kind of raw talent that can light up a World Cup if given the stage. If he makes the squad, he could be one of the names neutrals remember.
- Saeid Ezatolahi – Shabab Al Ahli
- Omid Noorafkan – Sepahan
- Saman Ghoddos – Kalba
- Mohammad Ghorbani – Al Wahda
- Mehdi Hashemnejad – Tractor
- Amir Razzaghinia – Esteghlal
Taremi, Jahanbakhsh and a Missing Star
Up front, the picture is both reassuring and unsettling.
Reassuring, because Mehdi Taremi is still there. The Olympiacos striker, already past the half-century mark in international goals, remains Iran’s headline act. This will be his third World Cup, and he will arrive in North America off another prolific season in Greece.
He has already felt the World Cup net ripple. Twice, in fact, against England in that wild 6-2 defeat at Qatar 2022. He knows the stage, the pressure, the noise. Iran will lean on him again.
Out wide, Alireza Jahanbakhsh offers experience and craft. The winger, now at FCV Dender EH after spells with Brighton and in the Eredivisie, still brings a sharp left foot and a willingness to work both ways. He is the kind of player you trust in tight group games, the kind who understands when to take risks and when to protect what you have.
Mehdi Ghayedi, now with Al-Nasr, is another near-certainty for the squad. Direct, tricky, and brave on the ball, he gives Iran a different kind of threat in the final third.
But the unsettling part is Sardar Azmoun.
The forward, with 57 goals in 91 internationals, has been one of the most prolific strikers in Iran’s history. Yet he was left out of March’s friendlies after reports alleging a perceived act of disloyalty to the government. The expectation is that he will not feature at the World Cup.
On the pitch, that is a massive void. Azmoun’s movement, his understanding with Taremi, his instinct in the box – all of it has defined Iran’s attack for years. Without him, Ghalenoei must redraw the front line.
Into that space steps Dennis Eckert. Born in Germany, with Iranian ancestry, the Standard Liege forward has been called up in Azmoun’s place for the March fixtures. This is his opening, a chance to convince the manager he belongs on the plane to North America.
- Ehsan Mahroughi – Foolad
- Ali Alipour – Persepolis
- Shahriyar Moghanlou – Kalba
- Hossein Abarghouei – Persepolis
- Mohammad Mohebi – Rostov
- Amirhossein Mahmoudi – Persepolis
- Alireza Jahanbakhsh – FCV Dender EH
- Ali Gholizadeh – Ekstraklasa
- Mehdi Torabi – Tractor
- Mehdi Ghayedi – Al-Nasr
- Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh – Tractor
- Dennis Eckert – Standard Liege
- Mehdi Taremi – Olympiacos
From that group, Ghalenoei must sculpt a frontline that can score in the tight, tactical matches that define World Cups.
The Shape of Team Melli
The structure looks familiar. Iran are expected to stick with a traditional back four at World Cup 2026, built on clarity rather than experimentation.
On the right, Saleh Hardani offers energy and overlapping runs, while Milad Mohammadi on the left brings experience and balance. In the middle, Shojae Khalilzadeh and Hossein Kanaanizadegan form a partnership that blends physicality with aerial strength. It is not the most glamorous back line in the tournament, but it is honest, rugged and reliable.
In front of them, the likely base is a two-man midfield: Ezatolahi and Ghoddos. One to shield and recycle, one to create and connect.
Ahead of that pivot, Ghalenoei has sketched out an attacking trio behind Taremi: Jahanbakhsh on one flank, Mehdi Ghayedi on the other, and Mohammad Mohebi – now at Rostov – operating between the lines. It is a system that gives Taremi service from wide areas and support through the middle, while still allowing Iran to stay compact without the ball.
The predicted XI, in a 4-2-3-1, looks like this:
Beiranvand; Hardani, Khalilzadeh, Kanaanizadegan, Mohammadi; Ezatolahi, Ghoddos; Jahanbakhsh, Ghayedi, Mohebi; Taremi.
It is a side built on continuity, experience, and a handful of calculated risks.
A Familiar Stage, New Fault Lines
So Iran move towards USA, Mexico and Canada with a veteran goalkeeper who once slept on Tehran’s streets, a striker who keeps scoring wherever he goes, and a midfield that can both fight and play.
They may have to do it without Sardar Azmoun. They may need a new hero to emerge from names like Razzaghinia or Eckert.
The core, though, is clear. Beiranvand’s hands, Ghoddos’ brain, Taremi’s finishing.
Is that enough to push Team Melli beyond the familiar ceiling of the group stage and into something more ambitious in 2026?
