FIFA World Cup 2022: England vs Iran records to watch out for

The FIFA World Cup 2022 is underway at Qatar, where the host country ended up losing the tournament opener against fellow Group A member Ecuador. Tonight England are set to clash against Iran in their Group B opener. Gareth Southgate’s squad has been plagued with injuries ahead of the tournament, and it remains to be seen whether the Harry Kane-led side manages to trump all challenges and emerge victorious.

Here are some records to watch out for during the England vs Iran match:

The first encounter

This match is the first-ever one between England and Iran. The two sides have never met each other in a friendly or competitive tournament.

Iran’s record against European sides

The Asian giants have till date not managed to win a single match against any of the European sides it has faced in World Cup history. Iran has played eight matches against European sides in WC history, losing six and drawing two.

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Streak of appearances

This is 16th time that England will play at the FIFA World Cup. The 2022 tournament will be the seventh successive time that England have managed to qualify for the tournament.

Iran, on the other hand, has qualified for the FIFA World Cup for a total of six times. They first played in the tournament in 1978, and further qualified for the 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions of the tournament.

England’s opening match woes

Although England have been dealt a relatively easy card for their campaign opener, fans should keep in mind that the Three Lions have often floundered in their opening World Cup matches.

Since their 2006 win against Paraguay, the last time England had managed to win their first FIFA World Cup game was in the 2018 edition of the tournament, when they played against Tunisia.

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England’s set-piece threat

The Three Lions have proven time and again that they are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to setpieces. Among the last 18 goals that England have scored at the World Cup, 12 have been from set pieces. In their 2018 campaign, 3/4th of all their goals came from set pieces.