Ghalenoei:
We Made the Difficult Task of World Cup Qualification Look Easy
The head coach said that: while qualifying for the FIFA World Cup was more difficult than in the past, his team managed to achieve it with apparent ease.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the fixture against North Korea, Ghalenoei stated:
“We were in a tough situation for qualification, but thanks to collective efforts, we accomplished it smoothly and successfully. Contrary to what some claim—that qualifying was easy—it was far from that. In the past, whether for the Asian Cup or World Cup qualifiers, we competed only within Asia. But now, the scenario spans multiple continents. For instance, Qatar's team includes players from Africa, Brazil, Sudan, and Yemen, with perhaps just one Qatari player. The same applies to the UAE, Indonesia, and even China.”
Ghalenoei further emphasized that while Iran secured qualification with two matches to spare, the journey was still fraught with challenges:
“We had no home advantage, and although more teams now qualify, the teams themselves have become much tougher. I watched Indonesia vs. China—both squads were filled with foreign-born players. With that in mind, please don’t downplay the efforts of our players. I recall two flights we had totaling nearly 24 to 25 hours in the air, and we still came back victorious.”
Regarding the upcoming match against North Korea, he added:
“This game is important. We’re introducing some young players as part of our generational transition. North Korea is a strong side and doesn’t belong at the bottom of the table. We hope that with everyone's support, we can have a successful year leading up to the World Cup.”
When asked about potential tactical shifts, Ghalenoei explained:
“We had a clear plan for qualification, and now we’re waiting for the World Cup draw to fine-tune our strategies. Youth development and generational change are top priorities. We have the players to make tactical changes, and changes will definitely come.”
Addressing criticism that the team’s World Cup qualification was “too easy,” he responded:
“Being in charge of the national team is a massive responsibility. Criticism is expected—some of it is constructive, like the feedback from veterans such as Faraki and Fariba. But some people criticize for personal reasons regardless of results. That happens everywhere in the world, but here, the intensity is higher due to the climate of the past 10 years.”
He concluded:
“We focus on those who genuinely care about Team Melli and want to see us succeed at the World Cup. As for those who criticize with bias, we leave their judgment to the people.”
