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Rezaei fails to find spot in Iran's World Cup squad

Tehran - Jahanbakhsh, Shojaei and Safi get coach Queiroz's nod

Iran announced their 24-man squad for the 2018 World Cup late on Sunday, surprisingly omitting striker Kaveh Rezaei, but with plenty of expectation after an unbeaten run through qualifying.

The biggest shock was the decision not to take Rezaei, the 26-year-old coming off a blistering season for Belgium's Charleroi, scoring 16 goals in 39 games.

But Iran has strong choices up front, including Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who became the first Iranian to top the scoring table of a major European league with 21 goals for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

Also making the squad are Masoud Shojaei, 33, and Ehsan Haji Safi, 28.

Iran's national team has been coached for the past seven years by Portugal's Carlos Queiroz.

Queiroz has led Iran to their first back-to-back appearances at the World Cup, but will be hoping to improve on their winless appearance in Brazil.

Iran, nicknamed "Team Melli", had an unbeaten run in qualifiers, becoming the first to book their place from the Asian Football Confederation. - AFP

But they face a tough group in the World Cup, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

The squad announced this weekend could still change, in case of injury, up to a final deadline on June 4.