Iran Aim to Advance to World Cup Second Stage: AFC

Date: 17 November 2017 - 21:11

News ID: ۴۶۵۴۸

TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) site has reported that the Iranian national football team is going to qualify for the World Cup next stage for the first time.
This is the fifth time Iran has qualified for a World Cup, but has never advanced to next stage.
Iran was the first Asian team to secure its place at the FIFA World Cup 2018.
Currently the best-ranked Asian team, Team Melli will be aiming to advance past the group stage in Russia next year - having seen its interest ends in the preliminary round in its previous appearances.
A famous 2-1 defeat of USA at France 1998 marks Iran's only win in its four previous FIFA World Cup appearances.
Mewhile, Iran will move up two places at the FIFA World Ranking when the new list is published on Nov. 23.
Iran is still the No. 1 nation in Asia, up two into 32nd, with Australia up four places into 39th -- the Socceroos' best place since 2013 -- but Japan slips 10 places into 54th.
World champion Germany has now held the No. 1 position for three consecutive months, and the top five remains unchanged for the second month in a row with Brazil, Portugal, Argentina and Belgium next in the ranking.
New FIFA Ranking Top 10:
1. Germany, 2. Brazil 3. Portugal, 4. Argentina, 5. Belgium, 6. Spain, 7. Poland, 8. Switzerland, 9. France, 10. Chile