Saman Ghoddos #14

Profile

Carlos Queiroz’s decade-long spell with Iran had a significant impact on the national team, and one of his lasting legacies is the integration of dual-nationality or second-generation Iranian players born outside the country. One such player is Saman Ghoddos, born in Malmö, Sweden, to Iranian parents. He even represented Sweden in two full internationals but, when he realised he would not be included in Sweden’s 2018 World Cup squad, he accepted Queiroz’s invitation to play for Iran. This decision marked a historic turning point. One of his set-piece deliveries against Morocco in the 2018 World Cup led to an own goal, helping Iran secure one of its most memorable victories in World Cup history. At club level Ghoddos made his name at Östersund under Graham Potter, where he helped the club win the Swedish Cup and was named Swedish Forward of the Year. As his career progressed, he gradually moved into deeper positions. At Brentford under Thomas Frank, he was even deployed as a full-back. For the national team, however, Ghoddos is typically used as a hard-working central midfielder who contributes in attack, with a powerful long-range shot.

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