TEHRAN – “Eleven Stars”, the official anthem of Team Melli, Iran’s national football team, was performed by an ensemble composed of musicians from the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Sunday evening.

Vocalist Salar Aqili performed the song, whose lyrics were composed by Ehsan Afshari while Babak Zarrin put them to music. 

Addressing the national team, Tehran Symphony Orchestra conductor Shahrdad Rohani said that they should know the hearts of 80 million Iranians are with them.

The ceremony was followed by performances of several songs under the batons of the two conductors, Rohani and Fereidun Shahbazian, who is the conductor of the National Orchestra.

The Portuguese coach of Team Melli, Carlos Queiroz, was surprised to hear a composition performed by the orchestra from his homeland.

In his brief remarks, Queiroz proposed that Iranian legend striker Ali Daei, currently head coach of Saipa, and a member of Arminia Bielefeld in 1997, should become the permanent ambassador of Iran’s football. 

“Victory of Sun” was another song performed by Aqili under the baton of Shahbazian.

The Tehran Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra are scheduled to perform several concerts in honor of Team Melli in Russia during the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in Russia.

Photo: Vocalist Salar Aqili acknowledges the audience before the performance of “Eleven Stars”, the official anthem of Team Melli, at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on May 20, 2018. (Mohammad Moheimani) 

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