Sardar Azmoun, Iran, Amir Ghalenoei, Dennis Dargahi
15 June 2026
Sardar Azmoun is absent from Iran’s World Cup squad despite being one of the country’s most talented players and third on their all-time scoring list. The forward said he was sad and insisted he had always represented Iran with pride.
Local reports linked the omission to loyalty accusations after Azmoun posted a photo with Dubai’s ruler, while Iran’s coach Amir Ghalenoei offered no detailed explanation. The absence adds another political layer to Iran’s already tense tournament build-up.