By Mohammad Ali Haqshenas

From choosing to represent Iran in 2017 to bringing his international career to a close nine years later – last week – Saman Ghoddos enjoyed a memorable spell with Team Melli, featuring at three World Cups and two Asian Cups.

He leaves behind a legacy of impressive performances, crucial on-field assists and goals and unwavering commitment to the Iranian jersey.

Born and raised in Malmö to parents from Ahvaz, southern Iran, Ghoddos was eligible to represent both Sweden and Iran.

His international career initially began with Sweden, for whom he made two appearances in January 2017, scoring once.

However, his international future soon took a different turn.

The Iranian Football Federation approached him in June 2017. After weighing his options, Ghoddos obtained an Iranian passport in August and announced on August 26 that he had chosen to represent Iran.

Then-head coach Carlos Queiroz called him up to the senior national team training camp the following day, although administrative formalities delayed his debut for the national side.

Ghoddos finally made his first appearance for Iran on October 5, 2017, coming off the bench in a 2-0 friendly win over Togo. A little over a month later, on November 9, he opened his scoring account for Team Melli, finding the net against Panama in another friendly.

It marked the beginning of a nine-year momentous international journey that would take him to some of football’s biggest stages.

Russia 2018: A memorable World Cup debut

The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia gave Ghoddos his first taste of football’s biggest international stage. He featured in all three of Iran’s group-stage matches, although each of his appearances came off the bench.

His World Cup debut came against Morocco on June 15. Introduced in the 84th minute, Ghoddos made an immediate impact, winning the free kick that led to Iran’s dramatic late winner and its first World Cup victory in 20 years.

In a moment that has stayed etched in the memory of Team Melli supporters, he kissed the ball before it was delivered into the penalty area, setting the stage for the decisive goal.

It was a memorable introduction to the World Cup and an early highlight of his international career.

He also came off the bench against Spain and Portugal. Across the three matches, Ghoddos accumulated 29 minutes of playing time, but his involvement in the decisive moment against Morocco ensured his first World Cup campaign would hold a special place in his career.

From Qatar to a third World Cup

Four years later, Ghoddos returned to football’s biggest stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

His involvement was more limited this time, as he played just 44 minutes, featuring only in Iran’s group-stage match against the US.

His third World Cup, in 2026, saw him take on a more substantial role. Ghoddos featured in all three of Iran’s group-stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, spending 211 minutes on the pitch.

Across the three tournaments, he made seven appearances and played a total of 284 minutes. Although he did not score at a World Cup, his three campaigns gave him the rare distinction of representing Iran at three consecutive editions of the tournament.

Making his mark at the Asian Cup

The Asian Cup provided Ghoddos with greater opportunities to influence proceedings in the attacking third.

At the 2019 edition, he featured in all six of Iran’s matches, playing 248 minutes and registering one goal and one assist.

His goal came in the opening match against Yemen, when he scored Iran’s fifth in a commanding 5-0 victory in the 78th minute.

He again featured in every match at the 2023 Asian Cup, accumulating 490 minutes across six appearances. This time, he did not find the net but provided two crucial assists.

His combined Asian Cup record stood at 12 appearances, 738 minutes, one goal and three assists, underlining his contribution across two consecutive tournaments.

A key contributor in World Cup qualifiers

Much of Ghoddos’s international contribution came outside the major tournaments, particularly during Iran’s World Cup qualifying campaigns.

He featured in nine matches during Iran’s qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup and made another 13 appearances in the qualifiers for the 2026 tournament. Across the two campaigns, he had 22 appearances and played for 1,385 minutes.

Although he did not score in either qualifying campaign, he contributed with two assists in the 2026 qualifiers and played an important role in Iran’s midfield, helping link the defensive and attacking phases of play.

Taking the World Cup, Asian Cup and qualifying competitions together, Ghoddos made 41 appearances and accumulated 2,407 minutes. He also received four yellow cards and was never sent off.

Nine years, and a farewell from the heart

The impressive statistics bear testimony to Ghoddos’s vital contribution on the pitch, but his farewell message offered a more personal insight into what representing Iran had meant to him.

“After nine unforgettable years, it is time for me to say goodbye to Iran’s national team,” he wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Describing the opportunity to wear the national shirt as “one of the greatest honors of my life,” Ghoddos said choosing to represent Iran and its people had been “one of the easiest decisions of my life.”

The decision to walk away, however, was an entirely different matter. “Deciding to say goodbye is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” he admitted.

Ghoddos also reflected on the responsibility that came with representing his country, stressing that he had never taken the privilege for granted.

Among the experiences he particularly cherished was wearing the captain’s armband, an honor he said would always hold a special place in his heart – even after his retirement.

He reserved his most heartfelt words for the people who had supported him throughout his international football career.

“Most of all, dear people of Iran, thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you. I hope I was able to make you proud,” he wrote.

Neither Iranian Football Federation officials nor Team Melli head coach Amir Ghalenoei had publicly reacted to his announcement at the time of filing this report..

The federation’s official website, however, paid tribute to the star midfielder, emphasizing that his nine-year association with Team Melli amounted to more than appearances and statistics.

It described his international career as a chapter in some of the country’s memorable football years.

“Your share in the history of Iran’s national team goes beyond a farewell,” the federation’s website wrote.