TEHRAN – Croatian coach Dragan Skocic took the reins at Iran national football team on Thursday.

The 51-year-old coach finalized his contract with the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) but the details of the deal have not been revealed.

Skocic, who parted company with Iranian football club Sanat Naft on Tuesday, replaced Marc Wilmots.

The Belgian coach quit Team Melli in early December.

Skocic, who has already worked in Iranian clubs Malavana and Foolad, is Iran’s fifth Croat coach after Stanko Poklepovic, Tomislav Ivic, Miroslav Blazevic and Branko Ivankovic.    

Team Melli will have four must-win matches in late March and early June in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 .

Iran will entertain Hong Kong on March 26 in Tehran and meet Cambodia five days later in an away match.

The Persians will face Bahrain and Iraq on June 4 and 9, respectively in Tehran.

Iran, who are going to continue their quest for a sixth World Cup appearance, sit five points behind leaders Iraq in Group C but having played one game fewer.