The game has been ranked 9th in Bleacher Report's "International Football's 10 Most Politically-Charged Football Rivalries"[2] and 8th in Goal.com's "Football's 10 Greatest International Rivalries".[3]
Iran and Saudi Arabia team have had 15 matches so far, all have been competitive, and they have never played a friendly match. The first match was played on 24 August 1975, with Iran defeating Saudi Arabia 3–0.
The rivalry has been expanded into club matches as well. For example, after the Saudi Arabian national team's away win in March 2009, Saudi players sword-danced in front of 100,000 angry Iranian fans in Azadi Stadium. When Zob Ahan eliminated Al-Hilal in the 2010 AFC Champions League semi-final, Iranian players mocked the dance in front of Saudi fans.[5] When Persepolis was scheduled to play away at Ittihad in the 2011 AFC Champions League, Saudi immigration authorities forced Iranian players to be fingerprinted and irises scanned upon their arrival at Jeddah airport. The Iranians refused to do so and were held at the airport for 8 hours.[4]
Iranian football fans take most pleasure in defeating Saudi Arabia, alongside Bahrain,[6] whose players used to wave Saudi Arabian flags when they defeated Iran 3–1 during their 2002 World Cup qualification.[7] For several Iranian fans, regional political rivalries also affect who they support on the field, according to Aljazeera.[8]
In 2016, clubs from Saudi Arabia refused to play in Iran during the 2016 AFC Champions League and vice versa.[9][10][11] Consequently, the matches between the two countries were played in neutral venues for the next 7 years.[12]
^ ab. FIFA.com. October 28, 1993. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
^Peters, Jerrad (October 15, 2014). "International Football's 10 Most Politically-Charged Football Rivalries". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
^ abStaunton, Peter (November 17, 2010). "Football's 10 Greatest International Rivalries; Argentina - Brazil, Portugal - Spain, Algeria - Egypt, Japan - South Korea And More". Goal.com. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
^ abDorsey, James M. "Iranian bid for FIFA tournament takes tension with the Gulf to the soccer pitch". Al Arabiya. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
^صعود مقتدرانه ذوبآهن به فينال ليگ قهرمانان آسيا پاسخی به رقص شمشير سعودیها در تهران ['Zob Ahan's powerful qualification to AFC Champions League final match, a response to Saudi Sword dance in Tehran']. Kayhan (in Persian). No. 19772. October 23, 2010. p. 13.
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The Iran and Saudi Arabia national football teams are sporting rivals 1 who have played each other since 1975 Iran Saudi Arabia rivalry Asian El Clasico LocationAsia AFC West Asia WAFF Central Asia CAFA Teams Iran Saudi ArabiaFirst meeting24 August 1975 49 years ago Iran 3 0 Saudi ArabiaOlympics qualificationLatest meeting9 December 2012Saudi Arabia 0 0 IranWAFF ChampionshipStatisticsMeetings total16Most winsIran 5 Top scorerAli Daei 4 All time recordIran 5Draw 6Saudi Arabia 4Largest victoryIran 3 0 Saudi ArabiaOlympics qualification 24 August 1975 Saudi Arabia 0 3 IranWorld Cup qualification 7 January 1977 The game has been ranked 9th in Bleacher Report s International Football s 10 Most Politically Charged Football Rivalries 2 and 8th in Goal com s Football s 10 Greatest International Rivalries 3 Iran and Saudi Arabia team have had 15 matches so far all have been competitive and they have never played a friendly match The first match was played on 24 August 1975 with Iran defeating Saudi Arabia 3 0 Contents 1 Origins 2 Matches 3 Statistics 4 Top scorers 5 See also 6 ReferencesOrigins editThe two have long battled for West Asian supremacy 3 and their matches have been always tight tense and furiously competitive 1 The countries also have had chronic political tensions in the last decades 4 see Iran Saudi Arabia relations The rivalry has been expanded into club matches as well For example after the Saudi Arabian national team s away win in March 2009 Saudi players sword danced in front of 100 000 angry Iranian fans in Azadi Stadium When Zob Ahan eliminated Al Hilal in the 2010 AFC Champions League semi final Iranian players mocked the dance in front of Saudi fans 5 When Persepolis was scheduled to play away at Ittihad in the 2011 AFC Champions League Saudi immigration authorities forced Iranian players to be fingerprinted and irises scanned upon their arrival at Jeddah airport The Iranians refused to do so and were held at the airport for 8 hours 4 Iranian football fans take most pleasure in defeating Saudi Arabia alongside Bahrain 6 whose players used to wave Saudi Arabian flags when they defeated Iran 3 1 during their 2002 World Cup qualification 7 For several Iranian fans regional political rivalries also affect who they support on the field according to Aljazeera 8 In 2016 clubs from Saudi Arabia refused to play in Iran during the 2016 AFC Champions League and vice versa 9 10 11 Consequently the matches between the two countries were played in neutral venues for the next 7 years 12 Following the improvement of diplomatic relations between the two countries the Asian Football Confederation AFC announced on 4 September 2023 that matches between the national and club sides of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation SAFF and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran FFIRI will take place on a home and away basis 13 14 15 Matches editSource 16 17 Date Competition Home team Score Away team Goals home Goals away Venue a 24 August 1975 1976 Olympics qualification Iran nbsp 3 0 nbsp Saudi Arabia Mazloomi nbsp 12 83 Khorshidi nbsp 63 nbsp Amjadieh Stadium Tehran 1 7 January 1977 1978 World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia nbsp 0 3 nbsp Iran Mazloomi nbsp 16 78 Roshan nbsp 62 nbsp Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium Riyadh 2 b 22 April 1977 Iran nbsp 2 0 nbsp Saudi Arabia Yousefi nbsp 10 Sharifi nbsp 84 nbsp Hafezieh Stadium Shiraz 3 13 December 1984 1984 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia nbsp 1 1 a e t c nbsp Iran Shahin Bayani nbsp 88 o g Shahrokh Bayani nbsp 43 nbsp National Stadium Singapore 4 15 December 1988 1988 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia nbsp 1 0 nbsp Iran Abdullah nbsp 16 nbsp Qatar SC Stadium Doha 5 28 October 1993 1994 World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia nbsp 4 3 nbsp Iran Al Jaber nbsp 21 Mehalel nbsp 27 Al Mousa nbsp 47 Falatah nbsp 74 Fonounizadeh nbsp 43 52 Manafi nbsp 90 nbsp Khalifa Stadium Doha 6 11 December 1996 1996 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia nbsp 0 3 nbsp Iran Daei nbsp 12 Bagheri nbsp 37 Azizi nbsp 47 nbsp Al Maktoum Stadium Dubai 7 18 December 1996 Iran nbsp 0 0 a e t d nbsp Saudi Arabia nbsp Sheikh Zayed Stadium Abu Dhabi 8 19 September 1997 1998 World Cup qualification Iran nbsp 1 1 nbsp Saudi Arabia Bagheri nbsp 64 Al Shahrani nbsp 32 nbsp Azadi Stadium Tehran 9 24 October 1997 Saudi Arabia nbsp 1 0 nbsp Iran Al Muwalid nbsp 88 nbsp King Fahd Stadium Riyadh 10 24 August 2001 2002 World Cup qualification Iran nbsp 2 0 nbsp Saudi Arabia Daei nbsp 54 p 64 nbsp Azadi Stadium Tehran 11 28 September 2001 Saudi Arabia nbsp 2 2 nbsp Iran Al Waked nbsp 20 Al Yami nbsp 59 Daei nbsp 42 Dinmohammadi nbsp 84 nbsp Prince Abdullah al Faisal Stadium Jeddah 12 6 September 2008 2010 World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia nbsp 1 1 nbsp Iran Harthi nbsp 29 Nekounam nbsp 81 nbsp King Fahd Stadium Riyadh 13 28 March 2009 Iran nbsp 1 2 nbsp Saudi Arabia Shojaei nbsp 64 Hazazi nbsp 79 Al Muwallad nbsp 87 nbsp Azadi Stadium Tehran 14 12 December 2012 2012 WAFF Championship e Iran nbsp 0 0 nbsp Saudi Arabia nbsp Al Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium Kuwait City Not a full FIFA international Iran played the match with reserve players Saudi Arabia won 5 4 on penalties Saudi Arabia won 4 3 on penalties Both teams competed in the tournament with reserve players Statistics editTeam Pld W D L GF GA GD Best win nbsp Iran 14 5 5 4 19 13 6 3 0 nbsp Saudi Arabia 14 4 5 5 13 19 6 4 3 Matches held in Iran 4 Matches held in neutral venue 8 Matches held in Saudi Arabia 4 Total matches 16Top scorers editRank Player Goals 1 nbsp Ali Daei 4 2 nbsp Mehdi Fonounizadeh 2 nbsp Karim Bagheri 2 nbsp Gholamhossein Mazloomi 2 nbsp Majed Abdullah 2 3 Various players 1See also editIran Iraq football rivalry Iran Saudi Arabia relations Iraq Saudi Arabia football rivalryReferences edit a b Saudi Arabia VS Iran Launch pad for Saudi reign FIFA com October 28 1993 Archived from the original on January 5 2013 Retrieved November 21 2014 Peters Jerrad October 15 2014 International Football s 10 Most Politically Charged Football Rivalries Bleacher Report Retrieved November 21 2014 a b Staunton Peter November 17 2010 Football s 10 Greatest International Rivalries Argentina Brazil Portugal Spain Algeria Egypt Japan South Korea And More Goal com Retrieved November 21 2014 a b Dorsey James M Iranian bid for FIFA tournament takes tension with the Gulf to the soccer pitch Al Arabiya Retrieved 19 May 2011 صعود مقتدرانه ذوب آهن به فينال ليگ قهرمانان آسيا پاسخی به رقص شمشير سعودی ها در تهران Zob Ahan s powerful qualification to AFC Champions League final match a response to Saudi Sword dance in Tehran Kayhan in Persian No 19772 October 23 2010 p 13 Duerden John Asia awaits neighbourly rivalry ESPN Retrieved November 21 2014 Sundaresan Keeshaanan October 11 2011 Bad memories will motivate us to defeat Bahrain says Iran skipper Javad Nekounam Goal com Retrieved November 21 2014 Iran Football World Cup female fans and Saudi Arabian rivalry Saudi Iran dispute forces Champions League schedule switch USA TODAY Retrieved 2024 04 20 AFC delays Saudi Iran Champions League matches ESPN com 2016 01 25 Retrieved 2024 04 20 Decisions following AFC Competitions Committee meeting the AFC Retrieved 2024 04 20 McKirdy Euan 2016 03 16 Saudi Iranian teams head to neutral grounds CNN Retrieved 2024 04 20 Saudi Arabian FF and FFIRI matches to be played home and away Asian Football Confederation 4 September 2023 Retrieved 4 September 2023 Saudi and Iranian clubs to resume home and away matches AFC confirms Arab News 2023 09 04 Retrieved 2024 04 20 Historic move Saudi football clubs to play in Iran as travel ban lifted Al Jazeera Retrieved 2024 04 20 Courtney Barrie 3 April 2009 Saudi Arabia List of International Matches Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation Retrieved November 21 2014 Panahi Majeed 7 August 2014 Iran International Matches Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation Retrieved November 21 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Iran Saudi Arabia football rivalry amp oldid 1221450989, wikipedia, wiki, book, 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