TEHRAN – Iran national futsal team player Hossein Tayebi says that futsal has developed in Asia.

Tayebi, 31, has joined Benfica from Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan.

Tayebi has won two UEFA Futsal Champions League silver and bronze medals with Kairat as well as 10 titles in Kazakhstan with the team.

“Futsal in Portugal has progressed over the past years. Sporting futsal club qualified for the final match last year and it shows that how strong they are. I played against them last year when I was a member of Kairat Almaty,” Tayebi said.  

“In the past years, we could defeat the Asian teams easily but futsal has developed in Asia in recent years,” he added.

The Persians have been drawn along with South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Thailand in Group D of the 2020 AFC Futsal Championship.

“We have to do our best in the competition. Iran want to defend the title since we are the best team in Asia. However, we know that we have a difficult task ahead,” Tayebi concluded.