Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran's top soccer players, has been expelled from the national team for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government, Iranian media has reported, making it unlikely he will play any part in the World Cup, Reuters reported.
Iran's participation in the World Cup as a whole is under a cloud because of the ongoing conflict with the United States, who are co-hosting the June 11-July 19 tournament with Mexico and Canada.
If Team Melli do turn up for their opening-round group matches, they will undoubtedly be weakened by the absence of striker Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals since making his debut as a teenager in 2014, according to Reuters.
