Iran comes into the World Cup with the oldest squad with an average age of 29.4. Mexico at 28.9 and Tunisia at 28.5 have the second and third oldest squads in Qatar.
Interestingly, two of the heavily favored sides, Argentina and Brazil have the same average age of 28.4, which tilts towards the older side.
Uruguay, which has an average age of 28.3, has the biggest core of players above the age of 35. The two-time champion has six players- Martin Caceres, Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez, Sebastian Sosa, Fernando Muslera and Diego Godin – at more than 35 years old.
Here’s the Iran squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar:
1 GK Alireza Beiranvand – 21 September 1992 (aged 30)
2 DF Sadegh Moharrami – 1 March 1996 (aged 26)
3 DF Ehsan Hajsafi (captain) – 25 February 1990 (aged 32)
4 DF Shojae Khalilzadeh – 14 May 1989 (aged 33)
5 DF Milad Mohammadi – 29 September 1993 (aged 29)
6 MF Saeid Ezatolahi 1 – October 1996 (aged 26)
7 MF Alireza Jahanbakhsh – 11 August 1993 (aged 29)
8 DF Morteza Pouraliganji – 19 April 1992 (aged 30)
9 FW Mehdi Taremi – 18 July 1992 (aged 30)
10 FW Karim Ansarifard – 3 April 1990 (aged 32)
11 MF Vahid Amiri – 2 April 1988 (aged 34)
12 GK Payam Niazmand – 6 April 1995 (aged 27)
13 DF Hossein Kanaanizadegan – 23 March 1994 (aged 28)
14 MF Saman Ghoddos – 6 September 1993 (aged 29)
15 DF Rouzbeh Cheshmi – 24 July 1993 (aged 29)
16 MF Mehdi Torabi – 10 September 1994 (aged 28)
17 MF Ali Gholizadeh – 10 March 1996 (aged 26)
18 MF Ali Karimi – 11 February 1994 (aged 28)
19 DF Majid Hosseini – 20 June 1996 (aged 26)
20 FW Sardar Azmoun – 1 January 1995 (aged 27)
21 MF Ahmad Nourollahi – 1 February 1993 (aged 29)
22 GK Amir Abedzadeh – 26 April 1993 (aged 29)
23 DF Ramin Rezaeian – 21 March 1990 (aged 32)
24 GK Hossein Hosseini – 30 June 1992 (aged 30)
25 DF Abolfazl Jalali – 26 June 1998 (aged 24)