Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: When the Islamic Republic of Iran appeared at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Alireza Jahanbakhsh was just 20 years old, but the midfielder’s development for both club and country was well underway.
Jahanbakhsh came off the bench in all three of his side’s Group F games but a scoreless draw with Nigeria was followed by a last-gasp 1-0 defeat to Argentina and a 3-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina as Team Melli exited at the first hurdle.
The experience, though, proved invaluable for the forward, who has since go on to become one of the leading lights in a side that is now only a home win against Uzbekistan on Monday away from qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.
“It was unbelievably great, I went to the World Cup and I was the youngest player in the Iran squad,” recalled AZ Alkmaar player Jahanbakhsh, who joined Dutch Eredivisie outfit NEC prior to the Brazil tournament when he was just 19-years-old.
Jahanbakhsh on development in Holland
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/carlos-queiroz_iran_ls_jpg_1.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/carlos-queiroz_iran_ls_jpg.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/irn_rejoice_vs_qat_jpg_2.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/sardar_azmoun_ls_jpg_1.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/sardar_azmoun_ls_jpg_3.html