England vs Iran prediction, betting tip and odds, World Cup 2022

England vs Iran is the opening match of Group B at the 2022 World Cup. In this article, we will give you the answer as to who is the favourite with the bookmakers. We also make a prediction for this match and we give you a betting tip with corresponding quote.

England World Cup 2022 – Latest Team News and Statistics

According to the tabloids, the England team never does well (enough) at a major final tournament. That changed at the 2018 World Cup, when the country reached the semi-finals (losing against Croatia, 2-1). The 2021 European Championship was also “a success”. The English lost the final after penalties to Italy, in London and on the hallowed turf of Wembley no less.

This World Cup, coach Gareth Southgate’s team will want to wash away that unpleasant aftertaste. England’s top striker is Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur). The 29-year-old Londoner is tipped by many as a possible top scorer of the 2022 World Cup, an award he also won in 2018. Kane may want to get off to a good start in the match against Iran.

The last Nations League match was a spectacular draw against the Germans (3-3). In Group 3 of this Nations League, Germany and England finished third and fourth respectively, behind Hungary and Italy. In particular, the 0-4 home defeat against the Hungarians was downright embarrassing.

In England, Southgate’s playing style has been widely criticised and there have been calls for a new national coach for some time. Meanwhile, the Englishman seems to have abandoned his 4-2-3-1 formation and adopted the much-used 3-5-2. Whether this will provide relief against Iran remains to be seen. In England, at any rate, they have little hope of a successful 2022 World Cup for England.

Now that the final selection is known, some notable names are not among them: Jadon Sancho (Manchester United) Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan) and Tammy Abraham (Roma) have not survived the screening. They were expected in the squad by the media in England, however.

Besides Kane, Southgate has a selection with very high quality at his disposal. Talents such as Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham all seem to have a chance of a starting place. Reece James and Ben Chilwell are not fit in time and will definitely not be there. Kyle Walker will join but is still recovering.

Iran World Cup 2022 – Latest Team News and Statistics

There is a lot going on politically in Iran. This also seems to be affecting the national football team. After a very chaotic period, coach Carlos Queiroz has announced his full squad. That just includes alleged political dissonants Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Sardar Azmoun. Without going into too much detail, the situation with the Iranian football team is distressing, but the political situation in Iran all the more so.

Iran finished first in Pool A of the Asian qualifying series this World Cup 2022. It thus held off South Korea, which still managed to qualify via the play-offs. Eight wins in ten matches; only South Korea lost.

It will be Iran’s sixth time competing in a World Cup. In the five previous participations, the team did not advance beyond the group stage. In this largely English-speaking World Cup Pool (Pool A), there may be opportunities with Wales and the United States as direct competitors for qualification for the next round.

Iran played a handsome draw against Senegal (1-1). It also won against Uruguay (1-0). The player who, for us Dutch, is best known is Jahanbakhsh. The former NEC and AZ player is now in action for Feyenoord. With 64 international appearances (13 goals), he can rightly be called a routine player in the Iranian side.

The most dangerous man in Iran’s side is undoubtedly Azmoun. The striker plays for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and has already scored 40 goals in 63 international appearances for the Iranians. However, the question is whether Azmoun will be fit in time for the England encounter, as he is currently still recovering from a calf injury.

Should he not be fit in time, goal-scoring responsibility will fall to Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto), who has scored 20 international goals so far. Other than Azmoun’s injury, the squad is virtually fit.

England – Iran previous encounters

There are no previous encounters between England and Iran. The last time Iran played against a European team was over two years ago. That was when Bosnia-Herzegovina was beaten 2-0.