PLDC - Tehran, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi said, “Carlos Queiroz has presented the schedule for Team Melli, but we need to acquire financial resources to put it into practice."

The Football Federation does not support only one Team Melli; we have 18 national teams in different age levels and categories, and we have to consider them. If we want to be a world-class team in Asia and have a powerful presence in the World Cup, we have to pay special attention to important issues and their funding.”   

He continued, “Team Melli leaves for Lisbon, Portugal, in September 2, 2013 and will stay there in the European camp for 13 days. We decide to have two friendly matches in Portugal, but the names of these two teams are not finalized.”

In response to whether the friendly with Brazil costs about 6 billion Tomans or not, he said, “Either way, to play against teams like Brazil is costly. With regards to our national team playing against great teams like Brazil, fortunately a good path has been opened and we could maintain good relations. If we want to play against Brazil, logically we lose about a quarter of our annual budget.”