Iran named Sardar Azmoun, their star player who has on several occasions expressed support for the demonstrations in Iran, in their final 25-man World Cup squad on Monday. Azmoun, who plays for German club Bayer Leverkusen, tore a calf muscle in early October and faces a battle to be fit for Iran’s first game of the tournament against England in Qatar on November 21. The 27-year-old attacker has posted several messages. of social media support for the protests in Iran sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Hundreds have died in the unrest.
Azmoun’s Instagram account, which has five million followers, was at one point blocked for several days before it came back online.
Activists have called on fans attending Iran’s World Cup matches to chant Amini’s name. Iran will also face Wales on November 25 and the United States on November 29 in the group stage of the World Cup.
Goalkeepers: Amir Abedzadeh (Ponferradina/ESP), Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan)
Defenders: Sadegh Moharrami (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Ehsan Hajsafi (AEK Athens/GRE), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Al Ahli/QAT), Milad Mohammadi (AEK Athens/GRE), Morteza Pouraliganji (Persepolis), Hossein Kanaani (Al Ahli/ QAT), Majid Hosseini (Kayserispor/TUR), Ramin Rezaian (Sepahan), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi (Vejle BK/DEN), Saman Ghoddos (Brentford/ENG), Ahmad Nourollahi (Shabab Al-Ahli/UAE), Roozbeh Chechmi (Esteghlal), Ali Karimi (Kayserispor/TUR)
Attackers: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord/NED), Mehdi Taremi (Porto/POR), Karim Ansarifard (Omonia Nicosia/CYP), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis), Ali Gholizadeh (Charleroi/BEL), Sardar Azmoun ( Bayer Leverkusen/GER)
Coach: Carlos Queiroz (POR)
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