Tehran Times - Iran beach soccer coach Marco Octavio says he is very proud of his players after winning a bronze medal in the 2017 Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in Dubai, the UAE.
Team Melli came third in the prestigious event after beating Russia 4-2 in the third-place play-off on Saturday.
“It was a very tough competition with the top teams of the world and I am very proud of my players’ performance. We are in the good way for the future,” Octavio told Tehran Times in an exclusive interview.
Iran’s Peyman Hosseini was chosen as the 2017 Beach Soccer Best Goalkeeper, while Captain Mohammad Ahmadzadeh is among the world’s Five Stars.
“They deserve all the credit because they worked very hard to be the Best of the World in their positions. It is a big honor for football in Iran,” the Brazilian coach added.
Asked him if they can be considered a favorites to win the gold medal in the next edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Octavio said, “We will work in this direction. We will keep working very hard every day to earn the achievement.”