Iran World Cup 2022 squad list, fixtures and latest odds

Carlos Queiroz has been re-appointed as head coach of Iran, just weeks before the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Queiroz is best known to British football fans as Sir Alex Ferguson's right-hand man at Manchester United. He also managed Real Madrid for a short period in 2003-04. In international football he has managed six different countries, but his longest spell was in charge of Iran between 2011 and 2019, when he stood down owing to health problems.

At the beginning of September, however, the Iranian FA confirmed that the Portuguese would replace Croatia's Dragan Skocic, who qualified the Iranians for the finals and won 15 out of 18 games during his time in charge.

Iran are beginning to establish themselves as World Cup regulars, with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar being the third consecutive tournament for which they have qualified.

They also go into the tournament in strong form, having only lost one game in qualifying group they topped and will play England in their first match. Their final game of the group stage is a grudge match against the USA. The team's victory over the USA at the 1998 World Cup is still regarded as a high point in the country's sporting history and they have met only once since: a 1-1 draw in California in 2000.

Iran World Cup 2022 squad

World Cup squads are usually announced around six weeks before the World Cup starts. This year the World Cup will run from November 21-December 18.

The deadline for final squads is November 13, as confirmed by Fifa.

Who are likely to be the star names in the squad?

Iran’s main star in Qatar will most likely be Mehdi Taremi, who scored 20 league goals last season to fire Porto to the Portuguese title. He has performed in the Champions League, with his brilliant bicycle kick against Chelsea in 2021 being nominated for a Puskas award.

He has brought his scoring form to the national team, with four goals in qualifying, including the winner against Iraq that secured their place at the World Cup.

Other names to look out for are Bayer Leverkusen forward Sardar Azmoun, Porto striker Mehdi Taremi and Alireza Jahanbaksh, the captain, who once scored with an overhead kick for Brighton against Chelsea.

What are Iran’s fixtures?

Iran are in Group B alongside England, USA, and Wales.

• Nov 21: England vs Iran, Khalifa International Stadium, 1pm (GMT)

• Nov 25: Wales vs Iran, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, 10am

• Nov 29: Iran vs USA, Al Thumama Stadium, 7pm

What is Iran’s World Cup record?

Iran have appeared in five World Cup finals (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018) before Qatar, but have never reached the knockout stages. Their 1-0 win over Morocco at the Russia World Cup in 2018 was only their second win in the tournament.

Their results in recent times have not gone according to what Iran’s performances merited, however. The four points they got in 2018 (which included a draw against Portugal and a narrow loss against Spain) would usually have been enough to progress from the group stages. In 2014 it took a late moment of magic from Lionel Messi to stop Iran holding finalists Argentina to a goalless draw.

While they are the lowest-ranked team in Group B, Iran will hope that 2022 will be the World Cup where they finally reach the knockout rounds.

Latest odds

Iran are currently 800/1 to win World Cup 2022.

Other leading contenders...

• Brazil 5/1

• France 32/5

• England 8/1

• Argentina 8/1

• Spain 9/1

Odds correct as of September 20