Sardar Azmoun and Iran
21 September 2026
Iran recalled striker Sardar Azmoun to the national team four months after he was left out of the World Cup squad. The 31-year-old, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals, was selected for upcoming matches against Uzbekistan and Russia.
Azmoun said he had missed the national team and was happy to return, adding that he had nothing to prove. He met Iranian federation president Mehdi Taj before the announcement, with Iran now preparing for January’s Asian Cup.