Princes of Persia

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For those of you don't know, I am a first-generation American with Iranian parents. So naturally, I keep very much up-to-date with my Iran's national football team (more affectionately known as "Team Melli"). With the next round of World Cup qualifying coming up in Asia, head coach Carlos Queiroz released the latest 23-man squad that will face the intimidating world footballing powers of Guam and India next month.

This news made me think: How are some of the Team Melli players doing in their domestic leagues? Let me give you an update on a few of the more notable ones.

Ashkan Dejagah:



After last year's World Cup, the talented winger signed a big-money contract with Al-Arabi of the Qatar Stars League, becoming one of many Asian footballers to make the transition to the relatively new league. Dejagah played in 24 of his team's 26 games last season, scoring five goals as his club finished in 8th place. He remains one of the national team's best players, and should almost definitely feature in the 2018 World Cup, should Iran qualify.

Saeid Ezatolahi:



Team Melli has a surprising number of young, technically-skilled players for a team mostly known for its veteran leadership and brute strength. This is one of those players. A true central midfielder like Iran hasn't seen since Ali Karimi (his favorite player), Ezatolahi signed a contract with Spanish giants Atletico de Madrid at just 16 years of age. Now approaching his 19th birthday, he has just signed a four-year deal at FK Rostov in Russia, where he will join his compatriot Sardar Azmoun (discussed below) and should get plenty of playing time.

Morteza Pouraliganji:



A country renowned for its wrestlers and weightlifters has to have some strong and intimidating defenders, no? At just 23 years of age, Pouraliganji is ahead of his time. Just recently called up to the national team after the 2014 World Cup, he has already made an impact both in World Cup qualifying and the AFC Asian Cup. Even better yet, he's currently the star defender for Chinese Super League team Tianjin Teda, having started every game since he's been at the club. A young defender getting regular first-team minutes in a rapidly-growing league is just what Team Melli needs.

Sardar Azmoun:



In my opinion, this is the country's most prolific goalscorer. Azmoun is barely 20 years of age, and has already shown glimpses of brilliance that have justified his nickname of "Iranian Messi." Last season he was loaned to Russian Premier League side FK Rostov halfway through the campaign and became an integral part of their survival in the league; he had his best game for the club against CSKA Moscow, a game in which his goal earned his team a crucial point required to stay up. This year, he will be on loan at Rostov once again, where he can hopefully nail down his place as one of the Russian League's key players.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh:



I saved the best for last - Jahanbakhsh is maybe the player with the most potential the country has ever seen. Having just turned 22, he was awarded the Player of the Season in the Dutch Second Division, scoring 12 goals and notching 18 assists as he led his club NEC to promotion. He was further rewarded with a transfer to Dutch powerhouse AZ Alkmaar, where he should continue his development into one of the best players the continent of Asia has seen for many years. I'm incredibly excited about this one.

Recap:

It's looking to be a bit of a golden age for Iranian football at the moment. With an experienced team of talented veterans, two legitimate attacking threats that combine to be only 42 years old, a teenage central midfielder who models himself after a national hero, and a strong central defender to provide some backbone to the team, it would not be surprising to see Team Melli become the undisputed best team in the Asian region.

But the question remains: Can they carry this momentum all the way to Russia in 2018?

Thank you for reading!