TEHRAN – The new head coach of Iran national football team will be introduced by the end of the week, Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj says.

The local media had reported that the next Team Melli coach will be an Iranian coach since the federation faces huge financial problems due to sanctions imposed on Iran.

However, Taj says the next coach is a great European coach.

“The next coach, who is a European big name, will travel to Iran by the end of the week. It shows that the sanctions have not negative impact on the Iranian sports and the other countries are not going to cut ties with Iran,” FFIRI president said.

Mahmoud Eslamian, a member of FFIRI board of directors, has also said the next coach will lead Team Melli in the next friendly matches with Syria and South Korea.

Iran will host Syria on June 6 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium and travel to South Korea to meet the Taegeuk Warriors at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on June 11.

Iran are without a coach since Carlos Queiroz left to take over as Colombia coach after Team Melli’s AFC Asian Cup 2019 campaign in the United Arab Emirates in January earlier this year.

Under guidance of the Portuguese coach, Iran lost to Japan 3-0 in Asian Cup semi-finals.

Team Melli are preparing for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that begin in the second half of this year.