West Asia Union

There are 15 member nations of West Asia but there are only four nations to have players qualified for the squad consists of Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Israel is the only team to have played in the Europe zone since the lately 1980s after they affiliated to AFC for several decades, and also being the first nation in Asia-Middle east to qualify for World cup led by Mordechai Spiegler. However, the first West Asian legend is Nahum Stelmach, Israeli from the late 1950s. The 1970s saw Ali Parvin, the best Iranian player ever, shining a a midfielder. Abdullah Majed appeared to perform as one of the best Asian player ever in the mid-1980s. The proud highlight in history of World cup for the Middle East teams is the scene Saeed Al-Owairan showed his fantastic dribble passing five Belgian defenders before making a goal beat Michael Preud’hommem in 1994. Berkovic was is rated as the 10th best midfielder in history of Premier League, performing during the 1990s. Ali Daei became the top international country scorer ever in the early 2000s.

West Asia



Location     :  Middle East
World Cup Participation : 9 Times (1970, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)
Best Achievement In World Cup  : Quarter Final In 1994 (Saudi Arabia)
Asian Cup Champions : 9 Times (1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2007)
Most Caps  : Mohamed Al-Dayea (181 Games)  
Top Scorer : Ali Daei (109 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever :  Mordechai Spiegler 








1. Mohamhed Al Deayea

Date Of Birth  : 2 August 1972
Nation : Saudi Arabia, Caps : 181 Games (69 Clean Sheets)
Height : 191 cm, Position :  Goalkeeper
Major Club : Al Ta’ee, Al-Hilal
World Cup Participation : 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 (10 Games)
Club Honours  : 3 Times Saudi Arabian League
5 Times Saudi Arabian Cup, 2000 AFC Champion League
2000 Arab Cup Winners’ Cup, 2002 Asian Cup Winners’ Cup
International Honours : 2002 FIFA World Cup Third Place
Individual Achievement : 1996 AFC Asian Cup Best Goalkeeper
IFFHS Asia Goalkeeper of The Century
2021 IFFHS ASIA All-Time Dream Team
Class  : Prince Bronze

2. Mehdi Madahvikia

Date Of Birth :  24 July 1977
Nation : Iran, Caps  : 111 Games
Position : Right-Wing-Back/Side-Midfielder
Height : 172 cm
Major Club :  Hambrug
World Cup Participation : 1998, 2006 (6 Games)
Club Honours : 3 Times Iranian League
1 Time German League Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement :  2003 Asian Footballer of The Year      
2021 IFFHS ASIA All-Time Dream Team
Class  : Prince Bronze

3. Avi Cohen

Date Of Birth : 14 September 1956
Nation  :  Israel, Caps : 59 Games
Height : 172 cm, Position : Left-Back
Major Club : Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Liverpool
Club Honours  : 2 Times Israel League
1 Time English Top Division
1 Time Scottish League Cup
1981 European Cup
International Honours, World Cup Participation : None
Individual Achievement : 1979 Israel Footballer of The Year      
IFFHS Israel Player of The Century
Class  : Prince Bronze

4. Andranik Eskandarian

Date Of Birth  : 31 December 1951
Nation : Iran
Position : Center-Back
Height  : 175 cm
Major Club  : New Yorke Cosmos
Caps  : 29 Games
World Cup Participation : 1978 (2 Games)
Club Honours : 1 Time Iranian League
3 Times North American League
International Honours : 1976 AFC Asian Cup
Individual Achievement : None
Class  : Prince Bronze


5. Tal Ben Haim

Date Of Birth : 31 March 1982
Nation  : Israel
Position :  Center-Back
Height   : 178 cm
Major Club :  Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Bolton Walderrers
Caps  : 74 Games
World Cup Participation : 1998, 2006 (6 Games)
Club Honours  : 1 Time Israel League
International Honours :  None
Individual Achievement : None
Class  : Princess Gold


6. Karim Bagheri

Date Of Birth : 20 February 1974
Nation : Iran, Caps : 86 Games (50 Goals)
Position : Central Holding Midfielder
Height : 186 cm
Major Club  : Arminia Bielefeld, Persepolis
World Cup Participation  : 1998 (3 Games)
Club Honours  : 1 Time Iranian League
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 2008 Iranian Player of The Year
2000 AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament
Class  : Prince Bronze
7. Haim Revivo

Date Of Birth  : 22 February 1972
Nation  : Israel
Caps : 67 Games
Position : Left-Winger
Height  :  177 cm
Major Club :  Celta Vigo
World Cup Participation  :  None
Club Honours : 1 Time Turkish League
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement  :  None
Class  : Prince Bronze

8. Yossi Bennayoun

Date Of Birth  : 5 May 1980
Nation : Israel, Caps : 93 Games (24 Goals)
Position : Attacking Midfielder, Right-Winger
Height  :  176 cm
Major Club  : Al-Hilal
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : 2 Times Israel Premier League
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 
2001 Israel Premier League Most Valuable Player
Class  : Prince Bronze

9. Abdullah Majed

Date Of Birth  : 21 June 1958
Nation : Saudi Arabia, Caps  : 139 Games (67 Goals)
Height : 180 cm, Position : Forward, Major Club : Al-Nasr
World Cup Participation : 1994 (2 Games)
Professional Scores Record : 190 Goals/ 218 Games
Club Honours : 5 Times Saudi Arabian League
5 Times Saudi Arabian Cup, 1998 Asian Cup Winners’ Cup
International Honours : 2 Times AFC Asian Cup
Individual Achievement : 6 Times Saudi Arabian League Top Scorer
2 Times Arabian Golden Boot, 1982 Gulf Cup of Nation Top Scorer
3 Times Asian Player of The Year (1984, 1985, 1986)
1989 Silver Ball, 1988 Bronze Asian Footballer of The Year
IFFHS Bronze Asian - Saudi Arabian Player of The Century
2021 IFFHS ASIA All-Time Dream Team
Class  : Prince Bronze

10. Eyal Berkovic

Date Of Birth : 2 April 1972
Nation  : Israel, Caps  : 82 Games
Position :  Playmaker
Height : 170 cm
Major Club : West Ham United, Manchester City
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours  :  2 Times Israel League
3 Times Israel Cup
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement  :  None
Class  : Prince Bronze

11. Mordechai Spiegler

Date Of Birth : 19 August 1944
Nation :  Israel, Caps : 82 Games (32 Goals)
Height : 183 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club :  Maccabi Netanya
World Cup Participation : 1970 (3 games/1 Goal)
Professional Scores Record : 196 Goals/ 324 Games
Club Honours  : 1 Time Israel League, 4 Times Israel Cup
International Honours : 1964 AFC Asian Cup Winner
Individual Achievement : 1964 Asian Cup Top Scorer
3 Times Israel League Top Scorer
4 Times Israel Footballer of The Year (1966, 1969 - 1971)
Israel All-Time Top Scorer, UEFA Jubilee Award (Israel)
Class  : Prince Bronze

___________________________________________________

Substitution



12. Nasser Hejazi

Date Of Birth :19 December 1949
Nation : Iran, Caps : 62 Games
Height : 185 cm, Position : Goalkeeper
Major Club : Esteghlal
World Cup Participation : 1978 (3 Games)
Club Honours  : 1 Time Iran League
1 Time Asian Champion Cup
International Honours : 
3 Times AFC Asian Cup Champions (1968, 1972, 1976)
Individual Achievement  :  None
Class  : Princess Gold


13. Saleh Nu' Eimeh

Date Of Birth : 1959
Nation : Saudi Arabia, Caps : 150 games
Height : 186cm, Position : Center-Back
Major Club :  Al-Hilal
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : 5 Times Saudi Arabian League
5 Times Saudi Arabian Cup, 1992 AFC Champion League
1995 Arab Champion Cup, 1997 Asian Cup Winners' Cup
International Honours : 2 Times AFC Asian Cup (1984-1988)
Individual Achievement :  None
Class  : Princess Gold

14. Hamad Al-Montashari

Date Of Birth : 22 June 1982
Nation : Saudi Arabia, Caps : 54 Games
Height  : 186 cm, Position : Left-Back/Center-Back
Major Club :  Al-Lttihad
World Cup Participation  : 2006 (3 Games)
Club Honours : 4 Times Saudi Arabian League
2 Times Saudi Arabian Cup
2 Times AFC Champion League (2004, 2005)
2005 Arab Champion League
International Honours :  None
Individual Achievement :  2005 Asian Footballer of The Year      
Class  : Princess Gold

15. Adnan Drjal

Date Of Birth : 26 January 1960
Nation : Iraq, Caps  : 90 Games
Height  : 183 cm, Position : Center-Back
Major Club :  Al-Taraba, Al-Rasheed
World Cup Participation  :  None
Club Honours : 5 Times Iraq League
2 Times Iraq Cup, 3 Times Arab Championship
International Honours  : None
Individual Achievement : None
Class  : Princess Gold


16. Tal Banin

Date Of Birth : 7 March 1971
Nation : Israel
Caps  : 80 Games
Position :  Destroyer
Height : 171 cm
Major Club : Hapoel Haifa, Maccabi Haifa, 
Maccabi Tel-Aviv,  Brescia
Club Honours  : 3 Times Israel League, 3 Time Israel Cup
International Honours, World Cup Participation :   None
Individual Achievement  :  1991 Israel Footballer of The Year      
Class  : Princess Gold


17. Ali Parvin

Date Of Birth : 25 September 1947
Nation : Iran, Caps  : 76 Games
Position : Playmaker
Height : 169 cm
Major Club : Persepolis
World Cup Participation : 1978 (3 Games)
Club Honours : 2 Times Iran League
International Honours :  2 Times AFC Asian Cup Winner (1972, 1976)
Individual Achievement :  None
Class  : Prince Bronze


18. Yousef Al-Thunayan

Date Of Birth :18 November 1963, Height : 174 cm
Nation : Saudi Arabia, Caps : 94 Games (33 Goals)
Position : Right-Winger, Major Club : Al Hilal
World Cup Participation : 1998
Club Honours : 8 Times Saudi Arabian League
5 Times Saudi Arabian Cup, 2000 Arab Cup Winners' Cup
2 Times Arab Champion Cup (1995, 1996)
2 Times Asian Cup Winners' Cup (1997, 2002)
2 Times AFC Champion League (1992, 2000)                          
International Honours : 2 Times AFC Asian Cup (1988, 1996)
1998 Arab Nations Cup
Individual Achievement :  None
Class  : Prince Bronze

19. Ronny Rosenthal

Date Of Birth : 11 October 1963
Nation  : Israel, Caps : 60 Games (11 Goals)
Height : 180 cm, Position :  Left-Side-Forward
Major Club : Maccani Haifa, Liverpool, Tottenham
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours  :  2 Times Israeli League
1 Time Belgian League, 1 Time English League
1 Time FA Cup
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement  :  None
Class  : Prince Bronze

20. Saeed Al-Owairan
Date Of Birth  : 19 August 1967
Nation  : Saudi Arabia, Caps : 50 Games (24 Goals)
Position : Attacking Midfielder
Height : 180 cm, Major Club : Al-Shabab
World Cup Participation : 1994, 1998 (6 Games/1 Goal)
Club Honours  : 3 Times Saudi Arabian League
3 Times Saudi Arabian Cup, 2001 Arab Cup Winners’ Cup
2 Times Arab Champion League (1992, 1999)
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement : 1992 Saudi Arabian League Top Scorer
1993 IFFHS International Top Scorer
1994 Asian Footballer of The Year
Class  : Prince Bronze

21. Amed Radhi

Date Of Birth: 21 March 1964, Height : Unknown
Nation : Iraq, Caps  : 73 Games (52 Goals)
Position : Fast Striker, Major Club : Al-Zawraa, Al-Rasheed
World Cup Participation : 1986 (2 Games With 1 Goal)
Club Honours : 4 Time Iraq League, 5 Times Iraq Cup
2 Times Arab Champions League (1986, 1987)
1989 AFC Champion League Runner-Up
International Honours :  None
Individual Achievement : 1988 Arab Nations Cup Top Scorer 
2 Times Iraq League - 1 Time Qatar League Top Scorer
1988 Gold, 1989 Bronze Asian Footballer of The Year
 IFFHS Iraq Player of The Century
Class  : Prince Bronze


22. Ali Daei

Date Of Birth : 21 March 1969
Nation  : Iran, Caps :149 Games (109 Goals)
Height  : 190 cm, Position :  Target Striker
Major Club :  Bank Tejarat, Hertha Berlin
World Cup Participation : 1998, 2006 (5 Games/No Goal)
Club Honours/International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement : 1996 Asian Cup Top Scorer
1999 Asian Footballer of The Year
AFC Asian Cup All-Time Top Scorer
IFFHS Iran Player of The Century     
International Most Goals Record      
2 Times IFFHS International Top Scorer (1996, 2004)
Class  : Prince Bronze


Manager

Avram Grant

Year Of Birth :  4 May 1955
Major Team :  Maccabi Haifa, Israel
Major Achievement :  2 Times Israel Premier League
1 Time Israel Cup
2008 Premier League Runner-Up
2008 UEFA Champion League Runner-Up
2012 Serbia Super Liga
Individual Achievement :  None
Class  :  Prince Bronze





Conclusion of Squad

GK : Mohamed Al-Deayea, Nasser Hejazi
DF : Mehdi Mahdavikia, Avi Cohen, Adnan Dirjal, Rahman Rezaei, Tal Ben Haim, Hamad Al-Montashari, Saleh Nu'eimeh
MF : Tal Banin, Karim Bagheri (Captain), Yousef Al-Thunayan, Haim Revivo, Yossi Benayoun, Ali Parvin, Eyal Berkovic, Saeed-Owairan
FW : Ronny Rosenthal, Mordechai Spiegler, Abdullah Majed, Ahmed Radhi, Ali Daei

Manager : Avram Grant


Formation XI (4-2-2)




Explanation of Formation

The team strategy is deep-midfield line with wing-back's consistent support to midfield. Mohamed Al Dayea, one of most caps footballer in history of the game, is a starter as a keeper. Cohen and Madahvikia are to go advanced to support midfield area when Revivo and Benayoun move inside, respectively. Bagheri and Berkovic is base on central midfield as a deep-lying playmaker. and Benayoun is primarily on the right-side midfield area while Revivo is also mainly on the left-wing but would go to support as attacking midfielder in central area. There is no target striker in this formation, using a great potential duo-deep-lying forwards likes Spiegler and Majed.



Azadi Stadium



Opened : 1971 (Renovated In 2003)
City : Tehran
Capacity : 100,000 Seats
Field Dimension : 110x75m









Statistics

By Decade
By Class
By Nation
1920s :  -
1930s :  -
1940s :  -
1950s :  -
1960s :  -
1970s :  4
1980s :  7
1990s :  6
2000s :  5
King : -
Queen : -
Prince : 16
Princess : 6

Israel : 8
Iran : 6
Saudio Arabia : 6
Iraq : 2




Major Reserved Players



Eli Ohana

Date Of Birth : 1 February 1964
Nation  : Israel, Caps : 50 Games (17 Goals)
Height : 180 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club : Beitar Jerusalem
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours  :  1 Time Belgian League
4 Times Israeli League, 2 Times Israeli Cup
1988 Cup Winners'Cup
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement  :  1988 Bravo Award
2 Times Israeli Player of The Year
Class  : Prince Bronze


Nahum Stelmach

Date Of Birth : 19 July 1936
Nation  : Israel
Caps : 61 Games (22 Goals)
Position :  Deep-lying Forward
Height : Unknown
Major Club : Hapoel Petah Tikva
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : 6 Times Israeli League, 1 Time Israeli Cup
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement  :  1956 AFC Asian Cup Top Scorer
Class  : Prince Bronze


Jassem Yacoub

Date Of Birth : 1953
Nation  : Kuwait, Caps : 49 Games (34 Goals)
Height :  179 cm, Position : Target Striker
Major Club   :  Qadsia
World Cup Participation : 1982 (2 Games)
Club Honours : 5 Times Kuwait League
4 Times Kuwait Cup
International Honours : 1980 AFC Asian Cup Winner
Individual Achievement :  1980 AFC Asian Cup Best XI
Class  : Prince Bronze



Minor Reserved Group

Goalkeeper

Yaakov Horodov (Israel)
Raad Hammoudi (Iraq)
Ali Al-Habsi (Oman)      

Defender

Yochanan Vollach (Israel)
Alon Harazi (Israel)
Osama Hussain (Kuwait)
Nadhum Shaker (Iraq)

Midfielder

Fahad Al-Bishi (Saudi Arabia)
Fahad El-Ghesheyan (Saudi Arabia)
Nir Klinger (Israel)
Giora Spiegel (Israel)
Ali Karimi (Iran)
Masoud Shojaei (Iran)
Javad Nekounam (Iran)
Khodadad Azizi (Iran)
Falah Hassan (Iraq)
Uri Milmalian (Israel)
Hassan Rowshan (Iran)
Fatih Kameel (Kuwait)
Omar Abdulraman (UAE)

Forward

Yehoshua Glazer (Israel)
Munas Dabbur (Israel)
Sami Al Jabir (Saudi Arabia)
Adnan Khamis Al-Taliyani (UAE)
Faisal Al-Dakhil (Kuwait)
Hussein Saeed (Iraq)
Jassem Al-Houwaidi (Kuwait)
Bashar Abdullah (Kuwait)
Mansour Miftah (Qatar)


The Greatest West Asian National Footballers of All-Time

Israel  : Yossi Benayoun
Saudi Arabia : Abdullah Majed
Iran : Mehdi Madahvikia
Iraq : Ahmed Radhi
Kuwait : Jassem Yaqoub
UAE : Adnan Khamis Al-Taliyani
Qatar : Mansour Miftah
Jordan : Halid Halil Awad
Oman : Ali Al-Habsi
Bahrain : Hamood Sultan Mazkur
Syria : Marvam Medrati
Lebanon : Rodar Antar
Palestine : Mostafa Najim
Yemen : Ali Moshen Al-Moraisi



The Greatest West Asian Footballers of All-Time

1. Abdullah Majed
2. Mehdi Madahvikia
3. Yossi Benayoun
4. Haim Revivo
5. Ronny Rosenthal
6. Eyal Berkovic
7. Mordechai Spiegler
8. Ali Parvin   
9. Nahum Stelmach
10. Avi Cohen

20 comments:

  1. Anonymous16/7/16

    younis Mahmoud?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I see he was so famous as a MVP of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup but he is selected as Iraqi player of the year just once time. I'm not sure when award was started and has continued ?

      Delete
  2. Anonymous9/10/16

    Saeed al Owairan? He scored a fantastic solo goal against Belgium in 1994 world cup

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is named in substitution. Here is an all-time performance. Only fantastic goal is a very minor part of entire career.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous10/4/18

    Javad Nekounam? and Vahid Hashemian

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7/12/18

    Bibras Natkho, Roda Antar and Omar Abdullahram are not options?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Natkho is not impressive enough for me as he has only two outstanding season in russian premier league.
      I never heard Roda Antar even he played football in the era I watched football.
      Omar Abddullahram is the best choice. I think he should have been in the reserved list at least.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous17/1/19

    How about 'Andranik Eskandarian'? Companion of great Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto, he was 3 times NASL Champion and selected 'NASL Best XI' also 3 times(1982, 1983, 1984). Additionally, he was main pillar of the Iran's golden era. Because of playing overseas, his national team career is short. But he contributed to 1976 AFC Asian cup triumph, 1976 Summer Olympics quarter-final, 1978 FIFA world cup qualification.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK I believe in his level as he could be one of the members of New Yorke COsmos in its golden era so I even think he should have been a first starter instead of Rezaei. Thanks you.

      Delete
  6. Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Beiranvand

    ReplyDelete
  7. Masoud Shojaei and Javad Nekounam deserve a place in the team. Both played in the Spanish league and were key players or Osasuna at the time

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks I agree they're deserved mentioned in reserved list but not in the squad as they're not one of the best Iranian players in history.

      Delete
  8. Why Revivo ahead of Rosenthal in the starting XI, especially at LW? Revivo wasn't even a winger. You also have Rosenthal ahead of Revivo in the Greatest Players list.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Revivo played as left-winger at first season of Maccabi Haifa. At Celta, he sometimes switched to right-winger position. Anyway, Revivo is more creative player than Rosenthal who is a more forwarder. It is a tactical reason to select Revivo instead of Rosenthal.

    ReplyDelete
  10. In this page, Eli Ohana isn't in "The Greatest West Asian National Footballers of All-Time
    " list. But in "Asia & Oceania Football Hall of Fame", he is in the sixth place of best player of all times. Which is correct?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think he is overrated in Asia & Oceania list. He never had an success aboard.

      Delete
  11. Surely Eran Zahavi for reserves. Israel NT's second goalscorer after Spiegler. Astonishing goalscoring records in both Israel and China without having played striker for most of his career. Good season in the Netherlands with PSV as well. Twice MVP in Israel and one in China.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ahmadreza Abedzadeh?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Consider Natiq Hashim

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous21/2/23

    do you think Sadar Azmoun and Taremi deserved to be here? Azmoun has been superb under national shirt and the core of Zenit for years, Taremi has been play for Portuguese giant for a decade.

    ReplyDelete