Iran were simply stunning en-route to qualifying for the World Cup, conceding just five goals in 18 matches.
Indeed, they were so dominant that they were the third team to book their tickets to the summer spectacle, after hosts Russia and record champions Brazil.
And not even seemingly being thrown to the lions in the heinous-looking ‘Group of Death’ alongside 2010 champions Spain and reigning European champions Portugal will be enough to quell the excitement of an expectant nation from spilling out into the Gulf.
They did their 81 million inhabitants proud on the way to Russia with a campaign built on a stingy defence – something which will be severely tested in the group stage.
Remarkably, they qualified from the third and final round in Asia without conceding a single goal, a 2-0 win against Uzbekistan last June seeing them book their passage.
It wasn’t until a final day 2-2 draw with Syria their defence was finally breached.
Goals were hard to come by, with just 10 scored in 10 final phase games, although they were prolific before that, netting 26 times in the eight group second stage (3.25 goals per game) while again stout at the back – conceding just three.
They finished a commanding seven points clear of South Korea with 11 goals from Sardar Azmoun, Iran’s next great hope, seeing him finish joint-second highest in the individual scoring charts alongside Australia veteran Tim Cahill.
The 23-year-old has netted 23 goals in his first 32 caps. Carlos Queiroz’s men are a well rounded squad with players who have plenty of experience playing outside their own country.
Captain Masoud Shojaei and attacker Karim Ansarifard have excelled in Greece, Reza Ghoochannejhad and the emerging Alireza Jahanbakhsh doing the same in the Netherlands.
One surprise came last month when Queiroz decided to cut veteran former captain Jelal Hosseini.
What also doesn’t bode well for Iran is their dismal recent record at World Cups.
They have only won one of their 12 previous games – a 2-1 win over the USA in 1998.
KEY PLAYER
Mehdi Taremi
A player not easily kept out of the headlines. He caused a stir when he was banned by FIFA for four months in September after being found in breach of his contract, having returned to Persepolis despite agreeing to move to Turkey’s Caykur Rizespor.
Scored eight goals in qualifying and is likely to form a key striking partnership with Azmoun.
COACH
Carlos Queiroz
Supremely experienced, the ex-Portugal and Real Madrid manager has been in charge of Iran for the last seven – often tumultuous – years. His policy of introducing players from the Iranian diaspora has proved key to their progress, making him the first man to qualify them for successive World Cups.
CAPTAIN
Masoud Shojaei
The 33-year-old midfielder represents the modern face of this Iran team, thus far playing in five different countries for nine different clubs. This tally also includes Sharjah in the Arabian Gulf League. His ability to add elegance to a workmanlike team is invaluable.
YOUNG STAR
Sardar Azmoun
Not only is the Rubin Kazan striker one to keep an eye on when watching Iran, he’s also a player many of Europe’s big teams will be watching closely. He has repeatedly been linked with a move to the big time, with Arsenal, Juventus and Valencia all keen.
KEY FACTS AND STATS
– Touted as the heir to Iran goalscoring icon Ali Daei, Azmoun scored a mesmeric 23 goals in his first 32 Iran caps, placing him as the country’s fifth-highest scorer of all-time – and he’s just 23
– Iran refused to participate in the qualifiers for the 1986 World Cup because of having to play on neutral ground
– Azmoun still has some way to go to reach the No1 spot though. Daei is the leading goalscorer in the history of international football, with 109 goals from 149 caps
FIFA rating
73 DEF 72 MID 74 ATT
World cups competed at
5 (First in 1978)
World cup record
P12, W1, D3, L8
Best finish
Group stage
Qualification record
P18, W12, D6
World ranking
36
SQUAD
Goalkeepers
A. Beyranvand (Persepolis), R. Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), A. Abedzadeh (Maritimo).
Defenders
M. Hosseini (Esteghlal), R. Rezaeian (Ostende), M. Reza Khanzadeh (Padideh), M. Pouraliganji (Alsaad), P. Montazeri (Esteghlal), M. Mohammadi
(Akhmat Grozny), R. Cheshmi (Esteghlal), E. Hajsafi (Olympiacos).
Midfielders
S. Ezatollahi (Amkar Perm), M. Shojaei (AEK Athens), M. Torabi (Saipa), O. Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), K. Ansarifard (Olympiacos).
Forwards
A. Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar), M. Taremi (Al Gharafa), S. Azmoun (Rubin Kazan), R. Ghoochannejhad (Heerenveen), S. Ghoddos (Ostersunds), A. Dejagah (Nottingham Forest), V. Amiri (Persepolis).
VERDICT
The odds are stacked against them but that won’t bother Iran or their fans, who will head to Russia with huge optimism but no real hope