據ESPN網站報道，6月17日凌晨，伊朗將與尼日利亞在庫亞巴的洼地球場展開首場對決。然而，除了對效力富勒姆的德賈加（Ashkan Dejagah）及隊長內科南（Javad Nekounam）略知一二以外，普通球迷也許對這支球隊了解得并不多。下面有關伊朗隊的13件事可能會讓你感興趣。

1. Football was introduced toIranby English petroleum workers in the 19th century. The game's popularity started in the southern region of Khuzestan and then quickly spread throughout the country.Iranplayed their first match ever in the thick of World War II, against the Afghan National Team in 1941 inAfghanistan, and their first official FIFA match nine years later inTurkey.

1、足球這項運動是英國石油工人在19世紀帶到伊朗的。起初，這一賽事盛行于伊朗南部的胡澤斯坦省，之后迅速在全國流行開來。1941年正值二戰期間，伊朗在阿富汗和阿富汗國家隊進行了首場比賽。九年之后，伊朗在土耳其第一次參加國際足聯舉辦的比賽。

2. Many of the most technical players in Iranian football history, such as Gholam Hossein Mazloomi, Abdolreza Barzegari and current star Masoud Soleimani Shojaei, have come fromAbadanand other southern cities. A large number of fans in Khuzestan admire the individual flair of Brazilian football, and when the Abadan-based Sanat Naft FC was founded in 1972, the founders chose the Brazilian yellow, green and blue as their colors. To this day, Khuzestan is referred to as the "Brazil of Iran" by many Iranian soccer fans.

2、在伊朗的足球發展史上，許多技術型球員都來自阿巴丹（Abadan）等南部城市，諸如馬茲魯米（Gholam Hossein Mazloomi）、巴茲賈里（Abdolreza Barzegari）以及新星索賈伊（Masoud Soleimani Shojaei）。很多胡澤斯坦省的球迷都很仰慕巴西球員的個人天賦。于是，1972年，創立于阿巴丹市的納夫特足球俱樂部干脆采用了巴西黃、綠、藍三色作為自己的象征色。直到現在，胡澤斯坦省都被國內眾多球迷稱為“伊朗的巴西城”。

3. Team Melli is a truly multiethnic, cultural and lingual team. In total, the members of the coaching staff and team were born on five different continents, hold more than five different passports, share more than 10 different mother tongues and come from various religious backgrounds.

3、伊朗隊是一支真正意義上的多民族、多文化、多語種的球隊。據統計，教練組成員和球員們來自五大洲，持有超過五種護照，所說母語超過十多種，并有著不同的宗教背景。

4. Team Melli's most frequent opponent are neighboursKuwait. The two sides have met 28 times, andIranboasts a 12-7 edge over the fellow West Asians.

4、與伊朗隊交戰最頻繁的對手是科威特隊。雙方共交手28次，伊朗以12勝7負的戰績領先于西亞人。

5. The faded shadow thing you see on the left side of theIranshirt is not sweat; it is the figure of the native Asiatic Cheetah that is facing extinction. The symbol was placed there to raise awareness about the beautiful cat's fate. See it here.

5、在伊朗隊球衣下方的左側，有一大片看似汗漬的陰影。其實，這是伊朗特有的亞洲獵豹的頭像，現在正瀕臨絕種。這一設計也是為了提醒人們，大家需要多關注這種迷人的貓科動物的命運。請看下圖（圖片來自網絡）：

6.Iran's best win was a 19-0 win over Guam; their worst defeat was a 6-1 loss toTurkey. Both matches were friendlies.

6、伊朗隊的最佳戰績是以19比0擊潰美國關島隊；最差戰績則是以1比6負于土耳其。兩場比賽都是友誼賽。

7.Iran's most favorable goal difference is a +49 in 15 matches againstPakistan, and the worst is -11 in nine encounters withTurkey.

7、在與巴基斯坦的15場比賽中，伊朗隊獲得了49個凈勝球的最高記錄；而在與土耳其的九次遭遇中，凈勝球數則達到了最少的負11個。

8.Iranand Bosnia-Herzegovina have met five times since 2001, andIranhold a 4-0 edge on the Bosnians (three home wins, one away and one draw). The most recent encounter was in 2009 inSarajevoand ended with a 3-2 Team Melli victory.

8、2001年以來，在與波黑隊的五次較量中，伊朗隊以完勝四場的明顯優勢領先對手（其中三次主場獲勝，一次客場獲勝，一次平局）。雙方最近的一次對抗是在2009年的薩拉熱窩，伊朗以3比2戰勝波黑。

9.IranandArgentinaonce played a friendly in front of 35,00 fans inMadrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. It was in 1977, and the occasion was the 75th anniversary of Real Madrid. The two teams reached the semifinals of the four-team tournament and tied 1-1 in regular time, andArgentinaprevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout.

9、1977年正值皇馬慶祝75周年，伊朗隊和阿根廷隊曾在西班牙馬德里的伯納烏球場上演過一場友誼賽，現場有3500名球迷觀戰。在這場四國賽中，雙方進入半決賽，并在90分鐘的比賽內踢成1比1平。阿根廷隊在隨后進行的點球大戰中勝出。

10. Former Team Melli striker Ali Daei is the world's top international goal scorer, with 109 goals in 149 matches (0.73 goals per match). He participated in two World Cups (1998 and 2006) but did not score.

10、前伊朗國家隊前鋒阿里·代伊是享譽國際的射手，在149場比賽中打入了109粒進球（平均每場比賽進球0.73個）。他參加了1998年和2006年兩屆世界杯，但都沒有進球。

11. Members of the current squad play or have played in the top German, Russian, Spanish, Dutch and English leagues. Also, 20-year-old midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh was voted the Dutch Eredivisie's greatest talent of the 2013-14 season.

11、目前的伊朗隊陣容中，所有球員都效力于或曾經效力于德甲、俄超、西甲、荷甲、英超等各大聯賽。在2013-2014賽季，20歲的中場球員阿里雷扎·賈漢巴赫什被評選為荷甲最佳新秀。

12. Midfielder Ashkan Dejagah played all his international youth football forGermany, U17 to U21, but decided to commit his international senior career to Team Melli.

12、中場球員阿什坎·德賈加曾經參加了德國隊U17和U21的所有世青賽比賽。不過，他決定傾力為伊朗隊出戰，拓展自己的國際職業生涯。

13. Despite deep political tensions,IranandIsraelhave played a total of five FIFA-sanctioned matches. The first was in 1958 and ended 4-0 forIsrael, and the latest was a 1-0 win forIranin 1974.Iranholds a 3-1 edge overIsraelin this rivalry.

13、盡管深陷緊張的政治局勢，伊朗和以色列都參與過五次國際足聯批準的重大比賽。雙方首次較量是在1958年，以色列以4比0獲勝。最近的一次是在1974年，伊朗1比0小勝對手。在數次交戰中，伊朗以3勝1負的戰績取得領先。

（譯者 helancheng 編輯 齊磊）