TEHRAN - In a stunning and deeply concerning turn of events, Iran's U17 national football team have been eliminated from the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025 at the group stage, managing to secure a mere single point from their three matches.

This abysmal showing comes at a particularly painful time, as FIFA's decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, granting Asia eight direct slots plus hosts nation Qatar, means Iran will be conspicuously absent in the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025.

This failure starkly highlights the precarious state of talent identification and preparation within the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI).

This edition of the Asian U17 Championship marks the second-worst performance for Iran's youth team in their 13 appearances, surpassed only by their scoreless exit in 1998. Conceding seven goals in just three matches against opponents not typically considered Asian football powerhouses has set alarm bells ringing for the future of Iranian football and their foundational youth structures.

Paradoxically, the U17 national team have undergone more training camps and mini-camps than any other national team under the FFIRI umbrella. Yet, the team that materialized in Saudi Arabia appeared disjointed and lacking the fundamental quality and tactical coherence displayed by teams like Tajikistan and North Korea. The inability of the U17 squad to achieve even a basic level of coordination and quality despite extensive preparation over the past eight months begs serious questions that the coaching staff and the FFIRI's technical committee must address.

Furthermore, doubts surround the composition of the U17 national team and the players selected for the tournament. While the inherent talent of the participating players is not in question, informed sources within grassroots football suggest that numerous promising and high-quality players from Tehran's and the nation's youth leagues were overlooked. Adding to the intrigue, three players included in the Asian Cup squad list are reportedly not affiliated with any club!

Ministry of Sports and Youth intervention amidst national disappointment

The U17 team's disastrous group stage exit, has prompted intervention from Iran's Ministry of Sports and Youth. Minister Ahmad Donyamali has ordered an urgent meeting with FFIRI President Mehdi Taj and relevant officials to thoroughly investigate the reasons behind this significant setback.

In response, FFIRI Secretary General Hedayat Mombeini has formally requested Majid Jalali, Head of the Technical and Development Committee, to submit a comprehensive report detailing the causes of this disappointing outcome.

A stark reminder for future

The early and ignominious exit of the Iran U17 team from the 2025 AFC Asian Cup serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing youth football development in the nation and underscores the urgent need for a critical and comprehensive reassessment of talent identification, preparation strategies, and team selection processes to avoid similar failures in the future.