England vs Iran World Cup confirmed lineups for group stage match at Qatar 2022

Patrick Brischetto

England vs Iran World Cup confirmed lineups for group stage match at Qatar 2022 image

England take on Iran in the opening match of Group B, with England seen as big favourites to beat the Asian powerhouse.

It isn't all plain sailing for England, though, with several players under injury clouds ahead of the first game.

Iran too have important players facing a race against time to be fit, with captain Ehsan Hajsafi also being caught up in the political situation back at home.

Below are the confirmed lineups for both teams ahead of the match.

MORE: England vs. Iran betting odds: tips, predictions and best bets

England starting 11

Gareth Southgate has kept faith with Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling. Both have been fine servants to his England side but are lacking form at club level. Mason Mount and Bukayo Saka will support Sterling and captain Harry Kane in attack, meaning Phil Foden has to settle for a place on the bench,

England (4-3-3 right to left): 1. Pickford (GK) — 12. Trippier, 5. Stones, 6. Maguire, 3. Shaw — 22. Bellingham, 4. Rice, 19. Mount — 17. Saka, 9. Kane, 10. Sterling

Iran starting 11

As expected, Iran boss Carlos Quieroz has gone for what looks like a defensive setup on paper. The plan will be to keep it tight and take the game deep, at which point Sardar Azmoun might appear from the bench. Until then, Porto striker Mehdi Taremi will plough a lone furrow up front.

Iran (5-4-1, right to left): 1. Beiranvand (GK) — 2. Moharrami, 15. Cheshmi, 19. Hosseini, 8. Pouraliganji 5. Mohammadi —  7. Jahanbakhsh, 3. Hajsafi, 18. Karimi, 21. Nourollahi — 9. Taremi

England vs Iran team news

For this opening game, England will be without Kyle Walker, who ruled himself out as he makes his way back from groin surgery, while James Maddison also won't be risked for the opener. Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold were the prime candidates to replace the Man City right-back.

Iran were waiting on the fitness of their star striker Sardar Azmoun. The prolific striker hasn't played for club side Bayer Leverkusen since the end of September with a calf tear, and he missed their warm up match against Nicaragua on November 10.

England vs Iran World Cup squads

Here are the 26 names on England's current World Cup squad in Qatar:

Position No. Player Club Age Caps 2022 World Cup
Qualifiers
GK 1 Jordan Pickford Everton (ENG) 28 45 4
GK 13 Nick Pope Newcastle United (ENG) 30 10 3
GK 23 Aaron Ramsdale Arsenal (ENG) 24 3 1
DEF 18 Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool (ENG) 24 17 3
DEF 16 Conor Coady Everton (ENG) 29 10 4
DEF 15 Eric Dier Tottenham (ENG) 28 47 0
DEF 7 Harry Maguire Manchester United (ENG) 29 48 6
DEF 3 Luke Shaw Manchester United (ENG) 27 23 4
DEF 5 John Stones Manchester City (ENG) 28 59 9
DEF 12 Kieran Trippier Newcastle United (ENG) 32 37 3
DEF 2 Kyle Walker Manchester City (ENG) 32 70 6
DEF 21 Ben White Arsenal (ENG) 25 4 0
MID 22 Jude Bellingham Borussia Dortmund (GER) 19 17 4
MID 26 Conor Gallagher Chelsea (ENG) 22 4 1
MID 8 Jordan Henderson Liverpool (ENG) 32 70 4
MID 19 Mason Mount Chelsea (ENG) 23 32 8
MID 14 Kalvin Phillips Manchester City (ENG) 26 23 7
MID 4 Declan Rice West Ham United (ENG) 23 34 5
MID 25 James Maddison Leicester City (ENG) 25 1 0
MID 20 Phil Foden Manchester City (ENG) 21 18 7
FWD 24 Callum Wilson Newcastle (ENG) 30 4 0
FWD 7 Jack Grealish Manchester City (ENG) 27 24 6
FWD 9 Harry Kane Tottenham (ENG) 29 75 8
FWD 11 Marcus Rashford Manchester United (ENG) 24 46 3
FWD 17 Bukayo Saka Arsenal (ENG) 21 20 5
FWD 10 Raheem Sterling Manchester City (ENG) 27 79 7

And the 26 players currently in Iran's World Cup squad:

Position No. Player Club Age Caps
GK 22 Amir Abedzadeh Ponferradina (SPA) 29 1
GK 1 Alireza Beiranvand Persepolis (IRA) 30 51
GK 24 Hossein Hosseini Esteghlal (IRA) 30 5
GK 12 Payam Niazmand Persepolis (IRA) 27 1
DEF 15 Roozbeh Cheshmi Esteghlal (IRA) 34 18
DEF 3 Ehsan Hajsafi AEK Athens (GRE) 30 121
DEF 19 Majid Hosseini Kayserispor (TUR) 26 18
DEF 25 Abolfazl Jalali Esteghlal (IRA) 25 2
DEF 13 Hossein Kanaani Al Ahli (QAT) 27 34
DEF 4 Shoja Khalilzadeh Al Ahli (QAT) 25 24
DEF 5 Milad Mohammadi AEK Athens (GRE) 28 45
DEF 2 Sadegh Moharrami Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) 27 21
DEF 8 Morteza Pouraliganji Persepolis (IRA) 26 45
DEF 23 Ramin Rezaeian Sepahan (IRA) 45 2
MID 11 Vahid Amiri Persepolis (IRA) 34 67
MID 6 Saeid Ezatolahi Vejle (DEN) 26 47
MID 14 Saman Ghoddos Brentford (ENG) 29 33
MID 17 Ali Gholizadeh Charleroi (BEL) 26 26
MID 7 Alireza Jahanbakhsh Feyenoord (NED) 29 64
MID 18 Ali Karimi Kayserispor (TUR) 28 13
MID 21 Ahmad Nourollahi Shabab Al Ahli (UAE) 29 26
MID 16 Mehdi Torabi Persepolis (IRA) 28 35
FWD 10 Karim Ansarifard  Omonia Nicosia (CYP) 32 94
FWD 20 Sardar Azmoun Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 27 65
FWD 9 Mehdi Taremi Porto (POR) 30 60

Patrick Brischetto

Patrick Brischetto Photo

Patrick is a journalist currently based in Sydney who covered the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 Women's World Cup for The Sporting News. He also holds a position at the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, and is slowly attempting to convince the world that the A-League is the greatest sporting competition.