Saman Ghoddos
CM (RW)
Deep-Lying Playmaker
Sep 6, 1993 (32)
Right
5'9"
174 lb
Two shots in final outing
Ghoddos had two shots (zero on goal) and one cross (zero accurate) in Friday's 1-1 draw against Egypt.
Analysis: Ghoddos took two shots in the final outing of the tournament against Egypt and added one tackle, one clearance and one interception, but failed to make an impact as Iran's hopes of qualification ended in the final group-stage match. The midfielder finished the tournament without any attacking contribution, though he recorded seven tackles, four interceptions and eight clearances.
Tallies six clearances in draw
Ghoddos had three tackles (two won), six clearances and one interception in Sunday's 0-0 draw against Belgium.
Analysis: Ghoddos was barely able to attack throughout a difficult matchup, but his defensive contributions helped his team to achieve a valuable clean sheet in Sunday's clash. The midfielder is averaging 3.5 clearances, 3.0 tackles and 2.0 interceptions per game after the first two matches of the international tournament. He'll look to stay put as part of a central midfield duo alongside Saeid Ezatolahi in the next contest versus Egypt.
Fit to play, not injured
Ghoddos is fit to play and not dealing with any injury, according to Vice President of Football Iran Federation Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, per Irna. "The team will be at full strength against Belgium. The only injured player is Roozbeh, who is currently recovering."
Analysis: Ghoddos's clean status is a significant boost for Iran given his importance as the team's primary set piece taker, and he will be fully available for the upcoming fixture against Belgium.
Still dealing with ankle injury
Ghoddos continues to deal with an previous ankle injury and is not training fully, according to Parsfootball.
Analysis: Ghoddos was forced off after 65 minutes of Iran's World Cup opener against New Zealand after signaling to the bench that he had hurt his ankle, and his relatively long absences from collective training across both pre-tournament camps had already suggested he was not at his sharpest heading into the competition. The extent of his recovery remains unclear, leaving his availability for Iran's upcoming fixtures in question as the medical staff continue to assess his condition.
Two shots in draw
Ghoddos took two shots (off target), created one chance, made three interceptions, and won two tackles in Monday's 2-2 draw with New Zealand.
Analysis: Ghoddos played a direct role in Iran's first goal. In the 35th minute, his delivery from a set piece created the opportunity that led to Ramin Rezaeian's equalizer, helping Iran respond after falling behind to Elijah Just's early strike. His dead-ball quality and vision were among Iran's most dangerous attacking weapons during the evening. Up next, Iran faces Belgium on Sunday, June 21.
in line for set-pieces
Ghoddos is set to be Iran's primary set-piece taker for the 2026 World Cup.
Analysis: Ghoddos may not be playing in a top division anymore, but he still could be in line as Iran's set-piece takers in the World Cup. He didn't play a major role in the past two editions of the competition, but he's expected to be a consistent piece of the starting XI for this go-around. Ghoddos should split set-pieces with Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh at worst, but could take the lion's share of them at best.
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