TEHRAN - Football expert Asghar Maziar says the high average age of the Iran national team may pose challenges at the 2024 AFC Asian Cup.

The 18th AFC Asian Cup will take place from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10, 2024, featuring 24 national teams, including Iran's Team Melli.

Iran national football team are among the tournament's oldest teams, with players averaging 28.6 years old.

During his interview with Tehran Times, Maziar stated that the average age of the main squad is even higher than 30 years old.

“There are several young players included in the 26-man roster of Team Melli, but unfortunately, they are not given the opportunity to play in the starting line-up. As a result, the average age of the 11-man side is significantly higher than 28.6,” he added.

Group C includes Iran, with Amir Ghalenoei at the helm, along with the UAE, Palestine, and Hong Kong.

“It is my belief that the players who have been chosen for the national team are the absolute best in Iranian football, and it is fair to say that Gahalenoei has made a logical choice,” Maziar said.

“To use experienced players has both positive and negative aspects. The primary struggle is linked to the physical condition of both the players and the team collectively. My suggestion is for the national team's technical staff to use a rotation system for the players during the group stage, especially in the easier games, in order to give the main players as much rest as possible.

“Having experienced players in good condition can be highly advantageous for Team Melli in the knockout stage,” said the former head coach of Iran's U14 national team.

His belief is that the process of rejuvenating the national team should have been initiated after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

“If we had made the decision to start recruiting young players after the Qatar World Cup, we would now have the opportunity to incorporate more youth into the national team. Nevertheless, as our football program is primarily oriented towards achieving success in tournaments, particularly the AFC Asian Cup, our emphasis has been on fielding experienced players.

“Consequently, there has been a certain degree of caution when it comes to introducing a new generation of football talent,” he concluded.