Beitashour Excited to Be on Provisional Iran Squad

On Sunday, Carlos Queiroz announced Team Melli’s preliminary list for the 2018 World Cup and Beitashour has a chance to represent Iran national football team after four years.

“I’m very excited and thrilled to be on that 35-man roster but I know there is still a lot of work to be done,” said Beitashour, who is well aware that having his name on the preliminary roster does not guarantee a trip to Russia, to say nothing of game time in the tournament.

More than anything, that’s what Beitashour is hoping to experience for himself, mlssoccer.com wrote.

The defender was an unused substitute during Iran’s three 2014 World Cup matches in Brazil but remains optimistic his two MLS Cup appearances in 2016 and 2017, along with a strong start to 2018, can do a lot to resolve that.

“They haven’t seen me up close and personal in four years, so I have to show them how I’ve changed and evolved and gotten better,” said Beitashour. “Hopefully you get onto that 23-man roster and then ideally you’re playing and not just there.”

“I know they were watching the whole time because they’ve been keeping in contact with me,” the defender said of his communication with the Iran Football Federation. “[Iran’s national team said] ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, we’re watching every game, you’re doing really well.”