Ivankovic calls up 25 players

PFDC - Iran's national team coach Branko Ivankovic has nominated 25 players for the upcoming World Cup Qualifier against Qatar on February 18. Noteable is the presence of Vfb Luebeck's midfielder Ferydoon Zandi, who was selected for the first time.

On the other hand, the absence of Rapid Vienna's Mehdi Pashazadeh, who performed more than just satisfying this season, and young sizzling playmaker Iman Mobali of Foolad Khuzestan, strikes the eye.

Below come the invited players:

Goalkeepers:

Ebrahim Mirzapour (Foolad Khuzestan)
Mehdi Vaezi (Paykan Tehran)
Hassan Roudbarian (Pas Tehran)

Defenders:

Yahya Golmohammadi (Persepolis Tehran)
Mohammad Nosrati (Pas Tehran)
Ebrahim Taghipour (Zob Ahan Esfahan)
Pirouz Ghorbani (Esteghlal Tehran)
Jalal Kameli Mofrad (Foolad Khuzestan)
Rahman Rezaei (FC Messina)

Midfielders:

Hossein Kaabi (Foolad Khuzestan)
Ali Badaavi (Foolad Khuzestan)
Mehdi Amirabadi (Saipa Tehran)
Ali-Reza Nikbakht-Vahedi (Esteghlal Tehran)
Davoud Seyed Abbasi (Esteghlal Tehran)
Javad Nekounam (Pas Tehran)
Hamed Kavianpour (Persepolis Tehran)
Moharram Navidkia (Sepahan Esfahan)
Ferydoon Zandi (Vfb Luebeck)

Strikers:

Ali Daei (Persepolis Tehran)
Mehdi Mahdavikia (Hamburg SV)
Ali Karimi (Al Ahly Dubai)
Arash Borhani (Pas Tehran)
Reza Enayati (Esteghlal Tehran)
Amir Vaziri (Zob Ahan Esfahan)
Mehdi Rajabzadeh (Zob Ahan Esfahan)