The Iran U23 men's football team faced another major setback at the Asian Games, being eliminated from the 2026 tournament in Nagoya after a humiliating 4-1 loss to North Korea.
This result was not just a disappointing night for Hossein Abdi's team; it also served as another warning sign for the Iranian Football Federation, which has repeatedly failed to develop a clear and long-term plan for one of the country's most important national teams.
Of greatest concern is the fact that the squad was not lacking in talent. Many players regularly featured for clubs in the Persian Gulf Pro League, and the team was assembled with the stated goal of using the Asian Games as a stepping stone to the 2028 Olympics. Abdi himself had previously spoken about the importance of international matches and building team chemistry before the tournament.
Nevertheless, as the tournament progressed, the team appeared increasingly disjointed. After a promising victory early on, Iran failed to qualify against China, and subsequently displayed chaotic play against North Korea. Abdi took responsibility, calling the result unacceptable.
However, this responsibility should not rest solely on the coach. While Abdi certainly deserves close scrutiny, changing the coach risks overlooking a deeper problem.
The Iranian Football Federation constantly struggles to establish a stable process for selecting U23 coaches and preparing teams long before major competitions. This pattern has become routine: a coach is appointed relatively late, preparation time is compressed, expectations remain high, and after failure, the entire project restarts with a new leader.
Currently, the federation faces another decision. Names such as Afshin Ghotbi, Farhad Majidi, Yahya Golmohammadi, and Mojtaba Hosseini have been mentioned, and the possibility of hiring a foreign coach has been discussed. Nevertheless, the key question is not whose name makes the shortlist, but what criteria and long-term plan will determine the appointment.
Japan will host the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2028, which will also serve as the Asian qualifier for the Los Angeles Olympics. Thus, Iran has a clear goal and a reasonable amount of time to prepare.
What the team needs now is not just another coach. It requires a defined project: a clear football philosophy, transparent selection criteria, continuity across youth levels, regular international matches, and measurable goals. Otherwise, the Iran U23 team will remain in the same cycle: appoint, prepare, fail, replace, and repeat. And a new promising generation of players will once again pay the price for a problem far larger than the person on the sidelines.