TEHRAN – Vocalist Mohammad Motamedi has been picked to sing the official anthem of Team Melli, Iran’s national football team, for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

He has been chosen by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Gholam-Hossein Zamanabadi, an advisor to Iran Football Federation, told the Persian service of MNA on Saturday. 

Motamedi has previously worked with several international ensembles, including the Antalya State Symphony Orchestra.

Two other singers will be selected to perform songs for Team Melli, Zamanabadi said.

The team is among 32 teams that will be competing through 64 matches during the World Cup, which will be played from November 20 to December 18 in Qatar.

The anthem and the songs will be produced in collaboration between the Culture Ministry and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). 

Iran has been drawn in Group B of the World Cup along with England, Wales and the U.S.

The country will meet England on Nov. 21 in their opening match.

Earlier last week, Ehsan Mohammadi, another Iran Football Federation official, said that four songs will be produced to be sent to the FIFA World Cup Qatar. The songs will be played ahead of Iran’s games, when Team Melli scores a goal and during the team’s exit from the stadiums at half time and in the end of a match.

He said that the songs “Hit the Drum” by Omid Jafari, “Iran, the Winning Team” by Amir Tajik and “The Good News of Raining” by Mohammad Motamedi have also been sent to FIFA.  

“Eleven Stars”, the official anthem of Team Melli, was recorded with an ensemble composed of musicians from the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra during the 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in Russia.

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

The Tehran Symphony Orchestra and National Orchestra also performed several concerts in honor of Team Melli in Moscow during the FIFA World Cup.

Photo: Vocalist Mohammad Motamedi in an undated photo.

MMS/YAW