Iran Hit by Player Absences Ahead of Nigeria Friendly Amid Political Tensions

Iran Hit by Player Absences Ahead of Nigeria Friendly Amid Political Tensions

By Admin 

Iran will be without two influential players when they take on Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a rescheduled international friendly on Friday in Turkey, dealing a blow to their preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Forward Sardar Azmoun has been expelled from the national team after sharing a photograph of himself shaking hands with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, at a time of heightened political tensions between Iran and several Gulf nations.

Reports suggest that authorities have moved to seize assets belonging to Azmoun, as well as UAE-based forward Mehdi Ghayedi and former international Soroush Rafiei, further underscoring the gravity of the situation.

Azmoun, 31, is one of Iran’s most prolific forwards, with 57 goals in 91 international appearances. He currently plays for Shabab Al-Ahli and has previously featured for European clubs including Zenit Saint Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen, and AS Roma.

Despite the off-field developments, Iran are set to proceed with their scheduled friendlies against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica four days later in Antalya, Turkey, as part of their build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

However, the absence of key personnel is expected to significantly weaken the squad, raising concerns about the team’s competitiveness and readiness ahead of the upcoming fixtures.