Naderi declares Iran as ‘beach soccer favorites’ at Asian Beach Games
Iran’s beach soccer head coach Ali Naderi has declared his side the leading contender for gold at the Asian Beach Games, vowing that the team will give its all to bring glory to the country.
The sixth edition of the multi-sport event kicks off with the opening ceremony in Sanya, China, today, with the beach soccer contests getting underway on Thursday.
Drawn in Group B alongside the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand, Iran will begin its campaign against the UAE at the Sanya Bay Yuhai Club Venue on the opening day of the beach soccer event.
Speaking after a dominant 11-1 friendly victory over Palestine on Tuesday, Naderi expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness despite a 50-day interruption in training.
“We are gradually improving through our training sessions and have reached relative readiness,” Naderi said. “Despite the 50-day halt in training, we have had good sessions during these 11 days here in Sanya.”
“The overall condition of the team is good, and we have what it takes to win the gold – to repeat the title and raise our country’s flag,” added Naderi, who led Iran to a third-place finish at the 2024 World Cup in the UAE.
Naderi acknowledged the growing strength of several regional rivals, noting that beach soccer has its own unique dynamics.
“Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman are in very good shape and have made long-term investments in the sport,” he said.
The coach also pointed out that Japan is not participating in this edition. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the teams that have traveled to Sanya have arrived well-prepared, with solid logistics and training camps behind them.
“Regardless of the obstacles we have faced, we remain the favorites for the top prize, and we will face our opponents with every effort to achieve success,” Naderi concluded.
The beach soccer competition in Sanya features seven teams, with China, Oman, and Palestine completing the lineup in Group A.
Iran will face Thailand on Friday before concluding the group fixtures against Saudi Arabia the following day.
The top two from each group will advance to the semifinals.