Iran’s Women’s Football Needs Support: Maryam Irandoost

Iran has traveled to India to participate at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup India.

Team Melli Banovan will compete in the competition for the first time ever.

“In terms of the results achieved by our team, I am the most satisfied person on the planet. But from a technical point of view, our team has many areas to improve on and we are trying to solve these shortcomings during our training camps, so that we can be in better condition in the future and minimize our weaknesses,” she told the-afc.com.

“Everyone knows that the women's football team in Iran has just been formed and we cannot solve all the shortcomings and problems in a short time, but I must say that we are all trying to solve these problems with more work, efforts and training harder,” she added.

It is clear that Iranian women’s football has made extraordinary strides, particularly when Irandoost – the daughter of former Iranian player and coach Nosrat Irandoost - reflects on where it began.

Team Melli Banovan’s qualification has supercharged the awareness of the women’s national team within their football-loving nation, but it is only the beginning of a larger story if Irandoost’s long-term vision is to be fulfilled.

“When your team is among the top 12 in Asia and will soon participate in the most prestigious national women's football tournament, then it will definitely have a positive impact on Iranian women's football,” she declared.

“I expect that, with proper planning, our women’s national teams will be organized in other age groups and a five-year plan for the growth and development of women's football will be implemented.

“If the support from the Football Federation of Iran and the people of Iran continues, I promise you that we will reach the FIFA Women's World Cup in the next five years,” she concluded.