Defenders: Mikael Lustig (Celtic/Scotland), Victor Nilsson-Lindelof (Manchester United/England), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar/Russia), Martin Olsson (Swansea City/Wales), Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen/Germany), Filip Helander (Bologna/Italy), Pontus Jansson (Leeds United/England), Emil Krafth (Bologna/Italy)
Midfielders: Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig/Germany), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg/ Germany), Viktor Claesson (Krasnodar/Russia), Gustav Svensson (Seattle Sounders/USA), Sebastian Larsson (Hull City/England), Jimmy Durmaz (Toulouse/France), Oscar Hiljemark (Genoa/Italy), Marcus Rohden (Crotone/Italy)
Forwards: Marcus Berg (Al Ain/UAE), Ola Toivonen (Toulouse/France), John Guidetti (Celta Vigo/Spain), Isaac Kiese-Thelin (Waasland-Beveren/Belgium)
Defenders: Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Cristian Ansaldi (Torino), Nicolas Otamendi (Man City), Federico Fazio (Roma), Marcos Rojo (Man United), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax), Marcos Acuna (Sporting), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica).
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Hebei), Lucas Biglia (Milan), Ever Banega (Sevilla), Giovani Lo Celso (PSG), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Angel Di Maria (PSG), Maxi Meza (Independiente).
Jalal Hosseini and Vouria Ghafouri have both been left off Iran's provisional 24-man squad for the World Cup.
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz did not say why Hosseini, a defender for domestic champions Persepolis, and Ghafouri, a Esteghlal FC right-back, were not included.
There was space for midfielders Masoud Shojaei and Ehsan Hajsafi, however. Both played with Greek club Panionios against Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv in August 2017. Iran does not recognize Israel and its supreme leader has threatened the country in the past. Both Shojaei and Hajsafi missed matches with the national team after the game.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh, a 24-year-old forward who plays in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar, is also in the squad, which was announced Sunday.
In the midfield, Queiroz chose Saeid Ezatolahi, although the Amkar Perm player will miss the team's first World Cup match because he was given a red card in a game against South Korea in qualifying.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Ashkan Dejagah was also chosen.
Goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh of Portuguese club Maritimo made the squad. His father, Ahmadreza Abedzadeh, was Iran captain and goalkeeper at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Iran will play in Group B at the World Cup with Portugal, Spain and Morocco. The team will play warm-up matches in Turkey and Greece before heading to Russia.
2018 FIFA World Cup referees will be putting their day job aside for a month to officiate at the extravaganza in Russia next month.
An employee in a municipality, an owner of a hair studio, a lieutenant-colonel, a doctorate in law, an actor and a former maths teacher will put their day jobs on hold and head to Russia. Each will want to be there till the end of the World Cup and yet, to a person, they will not want to be noticed. Because only that guarantees job satisfaction for football referees.
Some like Alireza Fagnani, who works in a municipality, walked in their father’s footsteps. Uzbekistan’s Ravshan Irmatov was aspiring to be a coach --- after injury ended his football career when he was a teenager --- when he took up the whistle in a youth game because the referee didn’t turn up. Mark Geiger started refereeing when he was 13 because he wanted to earn a few dollars more and Szymon Marciniak began lessons after being shown the red card by a referee who asked him whether he could do any better.
A few of them such as Irmatov, Janny Sikazwe, Néstor Pitana and Matthew Conger are teachers. Pitana has also had a blink-and-you miss role in a film. Geiger used to school children in mathematics for 17 years before becoming a full-time ref. When he has the time, Geiger assists his brother who is a school cross-country coach. The much decorated Cüneyt Çakır sells insurance and Malang Diedhiou is with the customs department where he is a lieutenant-colonel. And Felix Brych has completed his PhD in law.
Many of the players and coaches who bow to their authority are multi-millionaires and that doesn’t make the job of the referees, who could be paid up to $70,000 and $3000 as match fee according to goal.com and the website Quora, any easier. The pay packet is a raise from the $35,000-$50,000 they got in 2014.
2018 World Cup referees
AFC (Asia) ◼ Al Mirdasi Fahad (KSA) ◼ Faghani Alireza (IRN) ◼ Irmatov Ravshan (UZB) ◼ Mohamed Mohammed Abdulla (UAE) ◼ Sato Ryuji (JPN) ◼ Shukralla Nawaf Abdulla (BHR)CONCACAF (North America) ◼ Aguilar Joel (SLV) ◼ Geiger Mark W. (USA) ◼ Marrufo Jair (USA) ◼ Montero Ricardo (CRC) ◼ Pitti John (PAN) ◼ Ramos Palazuelos Cesar Arturo (MEX)
CONMEBOL (South America) ◼ Bascuñan Julio (CHI) ◼ Caceres Enrique (PAR) ◼ Cunha Andres (URU) ◼ Pitana Nestor (ARG) ◼ Ricci Sandro (BRA) ◼ Roldan Wilmar (COL)UEFA (Europe) ◼ Brych Felix (GER) ◼ Cakir Cüneyt (TUR) ◼ Karasev Sergey (RUS) ◼ Kuipers Bjorn (NED) ◼ Marciniak Szymon (POL) ◼ Mateu Lahoz Antonio Miguel (ESP) ◼ Mazic Milorad (SRB)
Alireza Fagnani (Iran) Officiated in 2016 Olympics final. In 2017 Confed Cup final, he denied Chile a penalty ignoring VAR.
Malang Diedhiou(Senegal) Is a customs inspector holding the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel.
Mark Geiger (United States) Was a high school mathematics teacher for 17 years and got a presidential award for teaching in maths and science.
Björn Kuipers(Netherlands) Studied business administration, owns supermarkets and a hair studio in hometown Oldenzaal.
Antonio Mateu Lahoz(Spain) Known for his designer shades. Once he led a protest of passengers against a flight delay.
Milorad Mažić (Serbia) Will referee the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Néstor Pitana (Argentina) Physical Education teacher who has acted in a film.
Felix Brych (Germany) Doctorate in law specialising in sport.
Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) Professional insurance agent.
So, like players and coaches, they often do their own quirky things as they get ready for a game. Part of Geiger’s preparations is throwing up. Brazil’s Sandro Ricci removes his wedding ring before every game and gives it four kisses. One each for the four most important women in my life: my mother, my wife and my two daughters, he told FIFA.com before the 2014 finals.
Soon after the names were announced, the referees attended a two-week preparatory camp in Coverciano, Italy. Getting ready for the World Cup is an almost two-year project during which they have to maintain fitness standards, meet diet requirements and stay up to speed with the laws. No one knows how many games they will get yet --- initial postings will be decided on June 4 after another seminar ---- but for each one this is a dream assignment. One where a nightmare is never far away.
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Goalkeepers: Robin Olsen (FC Copenhagen/Denmark), Karl-Johan Johnsson (Guingamp/France), Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Swansea City/Wales)
Defenders: Mikael Lustig (Celtic/Scotland), Victor Nilsson-Lindelof (Manchester United/England), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar/Russia), Martin Olsson (Swansea City/Wales), Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen/Germany), Filip Helander (Bologna/Italy), Pontus Jansson (Leeds United/England), Emil Krafth (Bologna/Italy)
Midfielders: Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig/Germany), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg/ Germany), Viktor Claesson (Krasnodar/Russia), Gustav Svensson (Seattle Sounders/USA), Sebastian Larsson (Hull City/England), Jimmy Durmaz (Toulouse/France), Oscar Hiljemark (Genoa/Italy), Marcus Rohden (Crotone/Italy)
Forwards: Marcus Berg (Al Ain/UAE), Ola Toivonen (Toulouse/France), John Guidetti (Celta Vigo/Spain), Isaac Kiese-Thelin (Waasland-Beveren/Belgium)
coach: Janne Andersson
time anyone willing to write blogs for IFN?
Argentina's World Cup squad: Mauro Icardi excluded
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Willy Caballero (Manchester City), Franco Armani (River Plate).
Defenders: Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Cristian Ansaldi (Torino), Nicolas Otamendi (Man City), Federico Fazio (Roma), Marcos Rojo (Man United), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax), Marcos Acuna (Sporting), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica).
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Hebei), Lucas Biglia (Milan), Ever Banega (Sevilla), Giovani Lo Celso (PSG), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Angel Di Maria (PSG), Maxi Meza (Independiente).
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Sergio Aguero (Man City), Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus), Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors).
Jalal Hosseini and Vouria Ghafouri have both been left off Iran's provisional 24-man squad for the World Cup.
Iran coach Carlos Queiroz did not say why Hosseini, a defender for domestic champions Persepolis, and Ghafouri, a Esteghlal FC right-back, were not included.
There was space for midfielders Masoud Shojaei and Ehsan Hajsafi, however. Both played with Greek club Panionios against Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv in August 2017. Iran does not recognize Israel and its supreme leader has threatened the country in the past. Both Shojaei and Hajsafi missed matches with the national team after the game.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh, a 24-year-old forward who plays in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar, is also in the squad, which was announced Sunday.
In the midfield, Queiroz chose Saeid Ezatolahi, although the Amkar Perm player will miss the team's first World Cup match because he was given a red card in a game against South Korea in qualifying.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Ashkan Dejagah was also chosen.
Goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh of Portuguese club Maritimo made the squad. His father, Ahmadreza Abedzadeh, was Iran captain and goalkeeper at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Iran will play in Group B at the World Cup with Portugal, Spain and Morocco. The team will play warm-up matches in Turkey and Greece before heading to Russia.
Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo)
Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian (KV Oostende), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Padideh), Morteza Pouraliganji (Al Saad), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Seyed Majid Hosseini (Esteghlal), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny), Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal)
Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi (Amkar Perm), Masoud Shojaei (AEK Athens), Mehdi Torabi (Saipa), Ashkan Dejagah (Nottingham Forest), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Olympiakos), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds FK), Ali Gholizadeh (Saipa)
Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar), Karim Ansarifard (Olympiakos), Mahdi Taremi (Al-Gharafa Sports Club), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan), Reza Ghoochannejhad (SC Heerenveen)
Goalkeepers: Hannes Thor Halldorsson (Randers FC), Runar Alex Runarsson (FC Nordsjaelland), Frederik Schram (FC Roskilde).
Defenders: Kari Arnason (Aberdeen), Ari Freyr Skulason (Lokeren), Birkir Mar Saevarsson (Valur), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (FC Rostov), Hordur Magnusson (Bristol City), Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (Levski Sofia), Ragnar Sigurdsson (FC Rostov).
Midfielders: Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley), Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa), Arnor Ingvi Traustason (Malmo FF), Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton), Olafur Ingi Skulason (Kardemir Karabukspor), Rurik Gislason (Sandhausen), Samuel Fridjonsson (Valerenga), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Alfred Finnbogason (FC Augsburg), Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson (FC Rostov), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading), Albert Gudmundsson (PSV Eindhoven).
https://www.hindustantimes.com/football/gylfi-sigurdsson-included-in-iceland-s-2018-fifa-world-cup-squad-despite-knee-injury/story-I3KkG4q4l0yNT887HXJk4K.html
https://thesefootballtimes.co/2018/04/25/doble-ancho-the-tale-of-a-unique-oriundothe-story-of-luis-monti-the-only-man-to-have-played-in-world-cup-finals-for-two-different-nations/
Meet the referees for 2018 FIFA World Cup
2018 FIFA World Cup referees will be putting their day job aside for a month to officiate at the extravaganza in Russia next month.
An employee in a municipality, an owner of a hair studio, a lieutenant-colonel, a doctorate in law, an actor and a former maths teacher will put their day jobs on hold and head to Russia. Each will want to be there till the end of the World Cup and yet, to a person, they will not want to be noticed. Because only that guarantees job satisfaction for football referees.
Some like Alireza Fagnani, who works in a municipality, walked in their father’s footsteps. Uzbekistan’s Ravshan Irmatov was aspiring to be a coach --- after injury ended his football career when he was a teenager --- when he took up the whistle in a youth game because the referee didn’t turn up. Mark Geiger started refereeing when he was 13 because he wanted to earn a few dollars more and Szymon Marciniak began lessons after being shown the red card by a referee who asked him whether he could do any better.
A few of them such as Irmatov, Janny Sikazwe, Néstor Pitana and Matthew Conger are teachers. Pitana has also had a blink-and-you miss role in a film. Geiger used to school children in mathematics for 17 years before becoming a full-time ref. When he has the time, Geiger assists his brother who is a school cross-country coach. The much decorated Cüneyt Çakır sells insurance and Malang Diedhiou is with the customs department where he is a lieutenant-colonel. And Felix Brych has completed his PhD in law.
Many of the players and coaches who bow to their authority are multi-millionaires and that doesn’t make the job of the referees, who could be paid up to $70,000 and $3000 as match fee according to goal.com and the website Quora, any easier. The pay packet is a raise from the $35,000-$50,000 they got in 2014.
◼ Al Mirdasi Fahad (KSA)
◼ Faghani Alireza (IRN)
◼ Irmatov Ravshan (UZB)
◼ Mohamed Mohammed Abdulla (UAE)
◼ Sato Ryuji (JPN)
◼ Shukralla Nawaf Abdulla (BHR)CONCACAF (North America)
◼ Aguilar Joel (SLV)
◼ Geiger Mark W. (USA)
◼ Marrufo Jair (USA)
◼ Montero Ricardo (CRC)
◼ Pitti John (PAN)
◼ Ramos Palazuelos Cesar Arturo (MEX)
◼ Bascuñan Julio (CHI)
◼ Caceres Enrique (PAR)
◼ Cunha Andres (URU)
◼ Pitana Nestor (ARG)
◼ Ricci Sandro (BRA)
◼ Roldan Wilmar (COL)UEFA (Europe)
◼ Brych Felix (GER)
◼ Cakir Cüneyt (TUR)
◼ Karasev Sergey (RUS)
◼ Kuipers Bjorn (NED)
◼ Marciniak Szymon (POL)
◼ Mateu Lahoz Antonio Miguel (ESP)
◼ Mazic Milorad (SRB)
◼ Skomina Damir (SVN)
◼ Turpin Clement (FRA)CAF (Africa)
◼ Abid Charef Mehdi (ALG)
◼ Diedhiou Malang (SEN)
◼ Gassama Bakary Papa (GAM)
◼ Grisha Ghead (EGY)
◼ Sikazwe Janny (ZAM)
◼ Tessema Weyesa Bamlak (ETH)OFC (Oceania)
◼ Conger Matthew (NZL)
◼ Hauata Norbert (TAH)
Officiated in 2016 Olympics final. In 2017 Confed Cup final, he denied Chile a penalty ignoring VAR.
Is a customs inspector holding the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel.
Was a high school mathematics teacher for 17 years and got a presidential award for teaching in maths and science.
Studied business administration, owns supermarkets and a hair studio in hometown Oldenzaal.
Known for his designer shades. Once he led a protest of passengers against a flight delay.
Will referee the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
(Argentina)
Physical Education teacher who has acted in a film.
(Germany)
Doctorate in law specialising in sport.
(Turkey)
Professional insurance agent.
So, like players and coaches, they often do their own quirky things as they get ready for a game. Part of Geiger’s preparations is throwing up. Brazil’s Sandro Ricci removes his wedding ring before every game and gives it four kisses. One each for the four most important women in my life: my mother, my wife and my two daughters, he told FIFA.com before the 2014 finals.
Soon after the names were announced, the referees attended a two-week preparatory camp in Coverciano, Italy. Getting ready for the World Cup is an almost two-year project during which they have to maintain fitness standards, meet diet requirements and stay up to speed with the laws. No one knows how many games they will get yet --- initial postings will be decided on June 4 after another seminar ---- but for each one this is a dream assignment. One where a nightmare is never far away.