TEHRAN - Marco Octavio, head coach of the Brazil beach soccer team, has expressed his belief that the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the United Arab Emirates is being held at the absolute pinnacle of quality and excellence.

The 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be held in Dubai, the UAE from Feb. 15 to 25.

“The level of competition in this edition of the World Cup is incredibly high and in my opinion is the most competitive yet,” said the Brazilian coach in his exclusive interview with Tehran Times.

Iran are drawn in Group B along with Spain, Tahiti and Argentina. Team Melli will face Spain in their opening match of the prestigious campaign on Feb. 15.

Octavio has coached the Iran beach soccer national team during multiple time periods. Beginning in 2007, he took charge of Iran, with subsequent stints in 2010, 2012, and 2017. Under his guidance, Iran reached the quarterfinals of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2013 and 2015.

When asked about the main favorites of the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Octavio said, “In my opinion, there are at least 10 teams that have the potential to become champions in the upcoming World Cup.

“These teams include Iran, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Senegal, Japan, and many others. All of these teams are incredibly strong and will undoubtedly put up a tough fight to secure the victory,” he added.

A number of the best players in the sport, including Rodrigo, Edson Hulk, Catarino, Mauricinho, and Filipe, are coached by Marco Octavio in Brazilian beach soccer.

“The preparations made by us in Brazil have been exceptional, and we are confident in our readiness for the matches. Although we highly respect our opponents, our complete attention is currently directed towards our first match against Oman, slated for Friday,” he concluded.