End of the road for Iran's Ali Daei?

IRIB - He has a goal-scoring record that not even Pele could match, but age may finally be catching up with Iran's evergreen striker Ali Daei.

After surprisingly dropping his captain for the crunch match with Portugal, Coach Branko Ivankovic said what some Iranians have been saying for years: Daei, now 37, is simply too slow. "Maybe it's a surprise Daei was on the bench but I thought I needed a faster team," said Ivankovic.

It was a frank admission from the Croatian, a strong supporter of Daei who has been hinting heavily about leaving Iran after the World Cup.

Daei insists he is still capable of leading Iran's attack, and has vowed to keep playing until he gets the axe. "I might look old from outside the field, but I feel really young inside it," he said.

Few would have guessed the lanky striker would have such an impact when he first stepped on the field for Iran in 1993.

Tall, strongly built and with his trademark bushy moustache, Daei took six games to get off the mark but has terrorised Asian defences ever since, Beco Ming an Iranian icon in the process.

With a record 109 international goals in 148 appearances, Daei has outstripped the great Pele and Ferenc Pus Kas, although admittedly against less demanding opposition.

The former Asian footballer of the year once hit four past South Korea and played in Iran's greatest match -- the 2-1 win over the America at France 1998.

But even the biggest stars fade and calls have been growing for changes in the Iranian team, condemned to another early World Cup exit by the 2-0 loss to Portugal.

"I think there is too much pressure from some Iranian journalists.

They have had problems with me for the last 10 years for so many reasons, saying bad things about me in Iranian newspapers, but everything is okay for me," Daei said.

"The Iranian people want me to score every time I play, but if the ball doesn't come to me I can't get a goal.

I need crosses and passes, like all strikers.

Daei's club career includes stints with Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin before returning to Iran.

He now plays for Iran's Saba Battery, and hit five during the opening phase of this year's Asian Champions League.

Daei has said he would like to pursue a coaching career, preferably in Iran.