AFC Lauds Iranian Beach Soccer, Futsal Teams
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The 2010s produced countless classic moments and footballing landmarks from both established and developing Asian nations.
Iran lit up the Asian futsal scene in the 2010s, winning three AFC Futsal Championships and finishing third at the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup, where it famously defeated both Brazil and Portugal in a stunning month in Colombia.
Iran also excelled in the world of Beach Soccer, finishing the decade as the second-ranked team in the world, and earning a best-ever finish of third in the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the Bahamas, the-afc.com Reported.
Japan would follow in their footsteps two years later in Paraguay, reaching the global semi-finals, with only a penalty shootout defeat to eventual winners Portugal ending their bid for a maiden title.
Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun also was an Asian forward to star in Russia.
Still only 24, Azmoun has bagged over 60 goals for Rubin Kazan, FC Rostov and Zenit St. Petersburg, winning the Russian Premier League with the latter in season 2018-19; a title won by Uzbekistan’s Vitaly Denisov with Lokomotiv Moscow a year prior.
