Iran national football team records and statistics
This is a list of the Iran national football team's competitive records.
Individual records
Appearances
Most capped players
As of 26 March 2024, the players with the most caps for Iran are:
The records are collected based on data from FIFA and RSSSF. bold names denotes a player still playing or available for selection.
Most capped goalkeepers
World Cup appearances
Ehsan Hajsafi, 9 Games, 2014, 2018, 2022
Alireza Jahanbakhsh, 8 Games, 2014, 2018, 2022
Mehdi Mahdavikia, 6 Games, 1998, 2006
Andranik Teymourian, 6 Games, 2006, 2014
World Cup event appearances
Masoud Shojaei, 3 World Cups, 2006, 2014, 2018
Ehsan Hajsafi, 3 World Cups, 2014, 2018, 2022
Karim Ansarifard, 3 World Cups, 2014, 2018, 2022
Alireza Jahanbakhsh, 3 World Cups, 2014, 2018, 2022
Oldest player to feature at the World Cup
Ali Daei, 37 years, 2006
Youngest player to feature at the World Cup
Hossein Kaebi, 20 years and 9 months, 2006.
Oldest player to feature at the Asian Cup
Ali Daei, 35 years, 2004
First appearance by a player who had never played for an Iranian club
Ferydoon Zandi, vs Bahrain on 9 February 2005
First player to debut as a substitute
Mohammad Mohajer, on 25 August 1941 vs Afghanistan
Goals
Top goalscorers
First goal
Masoud Boroumandvs Turkey, Friendly, 26 October 1947
Most goals in a match
Karim Bagheri, 7 goalsvs Maldives, 2 June 1997 (1998 World Cup qualification)
Karim Bagheri, 6 goalsvs Guam, 24 November 2000 (2002 World Cup Qualification)
Ali Daei, 5 goalsvs Sri Lanka, 12 June 1996 (1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Four goals in a match
Behtash Faribavs Bangladesh, 22 September 1980 (1980 AFC Asian Cup)
Nasser Mohammadkhanivs Bangladesh, 7 August 1984 (1984 AFC Asian Cup qualification);
Ali Asghar Modir Roostavs Taiwan, 25 June 1993 (1994 World Cup qualification)
Ali Daeivs Nepal, 10 June 1996 (1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Ali Daeivs South Korea, 16 December 1996 (1996 AFC Asian Cup)
Ali Karimivs Guam, 24 November 2000 (2002 World Cup qualification)
Ali Daeivs Laos, 17 November 2004 (2006 World Cup qualification)
Karim Ansarifardvs Cambodia, 11 October 2019 (2022 World Cup qualification)
Three goals in a match
Masoud Boroumandvs Pakistan, 27 October 50
Abbas Hajarivs Pakistan, 14 December 1959 (1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Ali Jabbarivs Pakistan, 12 March 1o69
Hossein Kalanivs Iraq, 9 May 1972 (1972 AFC Asian Cup)
Ali Jabbarivs Thailand, 13 May 1972 (1972 AFC Asian Cup)
Gholam Hossein Mazloumivs Pakistan, 3 September 1974 (1974 Asian Games)
Gholam Hossein Mazloumivs South Yemen, 8 June 1976 (1976 AFC Asian Cup)
Karim Bavivs Nepal, 4 June 1988 (1988 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Farshad Piousvs Malaysia, 24 September 1990 (1990 Asian Games)
Karim Bagherivs Sri Lanka, 17 June 1996 (1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Hamid Estilivs Maldives, 2 June 1997 (1998 World Cup qualification)
Ali Daeivs Uzbekistan, 14 December 1998 (1998 Asian Games)
Ali Daeivs Maldives, 31 March 2000 (2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Ali Daeivs Guam, 24 November 2000 (2002 World Cup qualification)
Farhad Majidivs Guam, 24 November 2000 (2002 World Cup qualification)
Sirous Dinmohammadivs Oman, 8 August 2001
Ali Karimivs Slovakia, 15 August 2001
Ali Daeivs Lebanon, 17 June 2004 (2004 WAFF West Asian Championship)
Ali Karimivs South Korea, 31 July 2004 (2004 AFC Asian Cup)
Javad Nekounamvs Lebanon, 6 February 2013 (2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification)
Sardar Azmounvs North Macedonia, 2 June 2016
Mehdi Taremivs Syria, 6 June 2019
Sardar Azmounvs Cambodia, 11 October 2019 (2022 World Cup qualification)
Mehdi Taremivs Afghanistan, 13 June 2023 (2023 CAFA Nations Cup)
Mehdi Taremivs Kyrgyzstan, 16 June 2023 (2023 CAFA Nations Cup)
First goal in a World Cup match
Iraj Danaeifard, 1978 FIFA World Cup vs Scotland
First goal in a World Cup qualifying campaign
Gholam Vafakhahvs Kuwait, 6 May 1973 (1974 World Cup qualification)
Oldest goalscorer at the World Cup
Yahya Golmohammadi, 35 years, 2006
Youngest goalscorer at the World Cup
Mehdi Mahdavikia, 20 years, 1998
Oldest goalscorer at the Asian Cup
Ali Daei, 35 years, 2004
Most goals scored from penalties
Ali Daei 16 Goals.
Youngest goalscorer
Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, 17 years and 342 days, 2019
First goal by a substitute
First Iranian goalscorer at the Azadi Stadium : Parviz Ghelichkhani vs Australia 24 August 1973
Hat-tricks
Team records
Top Results
Include only official results.
Biggest Draws
As of 26 March 2024
PSO matches
PSO: 9 Matches in AFC Asian Cup - 4 Matches in Asian Games - Some of Matches in others Tournaments.
As of 26 March 2024
Source:
AET matches
AET: Only matches that result defined in overtime (without penalty kicks).
As of 26 March 2024
Home matches
As of 26 March 2024
Consecutive Win Matches
10 Wins (World Record: Germany 15 Wins):
Consecutive Unbeaten Matches
18 Matches (World Record - Longest Unbeaten Streaks: Italy 37 / Argentina 36 / Algeria 35 / Spain 35 / Brazil 35):
Competition records
International Tournament
FIFA World Cup
Olympic Games
Continental Tournament
AFC Asian Cup
Asian Games
Regional Tournament
WAFF Championship
West Asian Games
CAFA Nations Cup
RCD Cup/ECO Cup
Intercontinental Tournament
Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
Afro-Asian Games
AFC–OFC Challenge Cup
Multinational Tournament
Islamic Solidarity Games
Minor tournament
LG Cup Four Nations Tournament
Note: The list only includes editions that were participated by the Iran national team.
consists of only official international "A" Senior matches (not including Youth, B Team and club team results).
Source: https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/lgcup.html
Third Place Match [Jun 1] Iran did not play Ghana [Iran waited for 35 minutes on the pitch, while Ghana did not show up at all, apparently demanding prize money for the fourth-place finishers (uncommon in LG tournaments). Eventually Iran left, without obtaining any information from the Nigerian 'organisers'. One day later, the Nigerian FA awarded Ghana third place (and the relevant prize money) because Iran had left the pitch (sic!). Iran have protested.]
apparently only 2 matches were played ([Oct 4] Iraq 0–2 Iran and [Oct 6] Jordan 0–0 Iran), structure of tournament unclear.
Other Minor Tournament
consist of only official international "A" Senior matches (not including Youth, B Team and club team results).
Quaid-E-Azam International Cup
1985 Nehru Cup
1999 Ciao February Cup
2001 Civilization Cup
2005 Tehran Cup
Special Friendly Match
Friendly Match Results
This table consist of only 2 sided team friendly match results (not including 3 and 4 nations cup and other friendly and Minor Tournament). Also only official international "A" Senior matches (not including Youth, B Team and club team results).
As of 9 January 2024
Summary
The list shown below shows the Iran national football team all-time international record against opposing nations.
Head-to-head records
As of 26 March 2024
FIFA considers Russia as the inheritor of the records of Soviet Union.
FIFA considers Serbia as the inheritor of the records of SFR Yugoslavia and FR Yugoslavia.
FIFA considers Czech Republic as the inheritor of the records of Czechoslovakia.
All Time General Statistics Record / Overview of Results
As of 26 March 2024
consists of only official international "A" Senior matches (not including Youth, B Team and club team results).
Excluding 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qual matches as they are counted in FIFA World Cup Qual (2018).
consists of only 2 sided team friendly match results (not including 3 and 4 nations cup and other friendly and Minor Tournament).
FIFA World Ranking records
Highest FIFA ranking
15 (July 2005)
Lowest FIFA ranking
122 (May 1996)
Best mover
65 (July 1996)
Worst mover
-43 (October 1995)
Unofficial matches
Matches against clubs not listed.
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
References
External links
Team Melli records
FIFA.com
RSSSF archive of Iran's results, by Majeed Panahi, RSSSF, 21 Jan 2006