Iran Leaves Its Biggest Star Off the World Cup Roster After Anti-Regime Posts

Sardar Azmoun, widely regarded as Iran’s most talented footballer, will not be on Iran’s 2026 World Cup squad. The 31-year-old striker said the omission was not due to injury or visa issues, but after he spoke out against Iran’s leadership and was accused of disloyalty by hardline elements at home.

Azmoun is third on Iran’s all-time scoring list, behind Ali Daei and Mehdi Taremi, and has nearly 100 caps for the national team. He built his reputation at Zenit St. Petersburg, where he won four league titles and was named Russian league player of the year in 2021. He was once Iran’s most expensive player and later had spells with Bayer Leverkusen and Roma before moving to Shabab Al Ahli in Dubai.

The trouble deepened after Azmoun posted a photo in January shaking hands with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. In a Telegram post, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps described that as cooperation with Iran’s enemies and said he had stayed silent when the “American and Zionist regime” bombed his homeland. He was then left out of March friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica in Antalya, and again when coach Amir Ghalenoei named his preliminary World Cup list.

Azmoun said in response that he had always played for Iran with pride and would give up his place if necessary. On Instagram, he also said that after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, he was prepared to lose his national-team place, writing that he would sacrifice it “for one hair of Iranian women.” He last played for Iran in March last year, scoring what may have been his final international goal, his 57th in 91 appearances, against the United Arab Emirates. Ghalenoei said Azmoun is “a great player” who has done much for the team, but added, “it’s football,” comparing his absence to Neymar missing some Brazil matches.