Ehsan Hajsafi #3

Profile

Hajsafi has featured in all nine of Iran’s matches across the last three World Cups, but when he was not called up to the national team over the past two years, it seemed his international career might have come to an end. However, the underwhelming performances of other contenders at left-back convinced Amir Ghalenoei to recall him just months before the World Cup, giving Hajsafi the chance aged 36 to become the first Iranian player to reach double-digit World Cup appearances. One of the key reasons behind Hajsafi’s long and successful career is his calm, disciplined, and controversy-free lifestyle. On the pitch, however, he is known for his intensity: he compares his style of play with a particular emoji: “I’m aggressive on the pitch and I don’t joke with anyone. That comes from the demands of the game – everyone has to come with 100% focus and readiness. You can use the red angry emoji to describe me in matches, because I’m very serious and intense.”

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