Carlos Queiroz will head the Lions of Persia for a second time in Iran with less than three months till the World Cup in Qatar.
Mehdi Taj, the new president of the Iranian Football Organisation, orchestrated Queiroz’s appointment and pledged to provide stability to the national squad following months of political unrest inside the federation.
Taj was elected on Tuesday after running his campaign on the promise of reviving the Portuguese legend.
Taj’s presidency centered around Queiroz as he was well-liked among the country’s supporters since he took Iran to two consecutive World Cups in 2014 and 2018.
Replacing Dragan Skocic, who was sacked earlier this year and then surprisingly reinstated shortly after, Queiroz’s arrival signifies that Iran’s FIFA campaign is back on track.
“We have to work together to solve our problems. Now is the time for hard work. I thank the two other candidates. We must move towards brotherhood and cooperation. The past is the past; we must move forward,” said Taj.
Inking a contract with the federation, Queiroz will manage the team until the end of the Qatar World Cup tournament.
On the pitch, Iran’s national team has performed impressively, charting the FIFA ranks to land in 22nd place.
Qatar 2022 will mark Iran’s sixth appearance at the World Cup.
The Persians performed at their peak on Russia’s 2018 international scene thanks to Queiroz, defeating Morocco to face Portugal in a stalemate that moved them up to 18th place in the group stage.
Iran will face England, Wales, and the US throughout their difficult road to the World Cup trophy.
On November 21 at Khalifa International Stadium, the second game of the tournament will pit Iran versus England. This will be the first time the two teams have ever faced off.
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