IRAN

With two previous appearances in the tournament,'Team Melli' are back at the world cup after to qualify for korea/Japn'02. The Iraians have shown remarkable improvement over the last 3 years and this for them is another opportunity to grow and showcase their team.

Appearances: '78,'98.

Key Players (to watch): Ali Karimi, Medhi Mahdavikia

Population: 68,017,860

Size: 1,648,000sqkm

Language: Farsi

Capital: Terhran

Currency: Iranian Rial

Rating Code ( Probabity of winning the world cup): Red

Team list:

1 GK MIRZAPOUR Ebrahim Foolad Ahvaz, IRN

2 MF MAHDAVIKIA Mehdi Hamburger SV, GER

3 DF BAKHTIARIZADEH Sohrab Saba Battery Tehran, IRN

4 DF GOLMOHAMMADI Yahya Saba Battery Tehran, IRN

5 DF REZAEI Rahman Messina, ITA

6 MF NEKOUNAM Javad Al Sharjah, UAE

7 MF ZANDI Ferydoon Kaiserslautern, GER

8 MF KARIMI Ali Bayern Munich, GER

9 FW HASHEMIAN Vahid Hanover 96, GER

10 FW DAEI Ali Saba Battery Tehran, IRN

11 FW KHATIBI Rasoul Pas Tehran, IRN

12 GK ROUDBARIAN Hassan Pas Tehran, IRN

13 DF KAABI Hossein Foolad Ahvaz, IRN

14 MF TEYMOURIAN Anderanik AbooMoslem, IRN

15 FW BORHANI Arash Pas Tehran, IRN

16 FW ENAYATI Reza Esteghlal Tehran, IRN

17 FW KAZEMEIAN Javad Pirouzi, IRN

18 DF ZARE Sattar Bargh Shiraz, IRN

19 DF SADEQI Amir Hossein Esteghlal Ahvaz, IRN

20 DF NOSRATI Mohammad Pas Tehran, IRN

21 MF MADANCHI Mehrzad Pirouzi, IRN

22 GK TALEBLOO Vahid Esteghlal Tehran, IRN

23 MF SHOJAEI Masoud Saipa Karadj, IRN

Coach: IVANKOVIC Branko