Captain’s dream comes true as Jahanbakhsh makes fourth World Cup appearance
The stylish No. 7 and captain of TeamMelli, says that if someone had told him at age 12 that he would play in four World Cups, he would have laughed – but now he stands on the brink of making that unbelievable dream a reality.
In an interview with The Athletic, Jahanbakhsh expressed his amazement at the longevity of his international career. “It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I hope to stay ready over the next 10 days and achieve this.” The captain has been a fixture for TeamMelli since his World Cup debut in 2014 and is regarded as one of the most consistent Iranian legionnaires in history.
As global icons Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modrić prepare for their sixth World Cups, Jahanbakhsh alongside Ehsan Hajsafi can become the most experienced TeamMelli players in the tournament’s history.
Jahanbakhsh emphasized the strong team spirit despite difficult circumstances. “I was amazed at how close the guys are, with everything they’ve been through and being away from their families,” he said. “I keep telling them, ‘This is going to be a long camp, weeks long, until we get where we want.’”
Like Hajsafi, Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Beiranvand and other veterans, Jahanbakhsh understands his crucial role in managing the locker room and the team’s mental atmosphere. He knows that the smallest details can determine results at the World Cup.
Now the captain is about to fulfill an incredible dream – a dream whose value he fully appreciates. He has shown he can remain calm in the heart of anxiety, crisis and challenge, as he did with his crucial penalty in the 2023 Asian Cup quarterfinal that sealed a sweet victory for TeamMelli.
