Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: England, World Cup 2022, Football World Cup
Chris Stonadge
The World Cup is coming thick and fast, with Gareth Southgate’s England just two months away from their opening fixture in Qatar against Iran.
The Three Lions are hoping to go one better than their previous outing at a major tournament, having lost in the European Championships final to Italy on penalties in 2021.
Having been drawn in a group with local rivals Wales, distant rivals USA and Iran, Southgate’s side will be hoping to get off to a good start against the latter.
They coasted through their previous group stage in this competition despite losing to Belgium, as they thrashed Panama and edged past Tunisia.
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Although it is tough to tell how Southgate will line up, he has gone with his trusted experience in his recent international selection.
It remains to be seen whether he will go for four or five at the back, and whether he will stick with his double pivot principle.
Iran themselves have qualified for their fourth World Cup in five attempts, having featured in Germany in 2006, Brazil in 2014 and Russia in 2018, although failed to exit the group stage at any of the tournaments.
Karim Ansarifard scored their only goal in Russia, but they missed out on qualification by a point as Spain and Portugal went through on five points each.
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Notable names include Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who played in the Premier League for Brighton and Hove Albion, and Ansarifard who features for Omonoia in Cyprus. They sit 22nd in the FIFA World Rankings, with Wales 19th, USA 14th and England fifth.
Here’s everything you need to know about England v Iran.
The Group B fixture, taking place at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Monday 21 November, will kick-off at at 1pm UK time
England vs Iran will be shown live on BBC One, and can be live streamed on the BBC IPlayer app
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