Taremi Determined to Assist Iran in 2026 Finals
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – While Iran’s semi-final exit from the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 still stings Mahdi Taremi, the renowned striker is looking forward to appearing in another FIFA World Cup Finals.
No nation knows semi-final heartbreak at the AFC Asian Cup quite like Iran. On seven occasions since 1976 -the most recent of the country’s three consecutive continental titles- Team Melli has fallen one hurdle before the tournament’s deciding match.
The latest loss remains fresh in the mind of Taremi, the talismanic striker whose goals in recent years have been one of the drivers of his country’s qualification for the last two FIFA World Cup Finals, but who continue to fall short of a fourth AFC Asian Cup.
“After the Qatar game, I never saw the game and I haven’t talked until now about that game,” he told the-AFC.com. “I don’t want to look back and think about the past.”
“We’re always thinking about what is in front of us. We’re looking forward to the next step and who we are going to play against. It’s still painful. I think we deserved to win the Asian Cup. We created a lot of chances there, we missed a lot of chances but that’s football,” he added.
Missing scoring opportunities is not a characteristic often associated with Taremi. The 31-year-old hit a hat-trick against Hong Kong earlier this month to record his 48th goal in 804 matches as he continued his long-standing run of form for Iran.
“The main goal is, first of all we have to go to the World Cup, and then my main goal is I have to try my best to score more than two goals at the next World Cup. So, let’s see,” Taremi concluded.
