{"id":4194,"date":"2024-02-06T22:20:09","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T11:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/?p=4194"},"modified":"2026-09-25T14:13:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T04:43:02","slug":"cruz-time-for-iran-to-show-winning-mentality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theasiangame.net\/ro\/cruz-time-for-iran-to-show-winning-mentality\/","title":{"rendered":"Cruz: Time for Iran to show winning mentality"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the men who helped to build and shape an Iran team that stands on the brink of a first AFC Asian Cup title since 1976 believes that they are now the favourites to lift the title in Doha on Saturday.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Oceano Cruz was the long-term assistant to Carlos Queiroz with Team Melli and he told The Asian Game<\/em> that he\u2019s full of admiration for the way the team has played in Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThings were relatively easy in the group stage, but against Syria in the Round of 16 Iran controlled that match, even with missing a lot of chances, but after the red card for Mehdi Taremi they knew how to defend that result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgainst Japan, who I have massive respect for as one of the best nations in Asia, it was a fantastic result and in the second half also a fantastic performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cruz, now at the helm of Portugal\u2019s U20 national team, said he was also delighted that a generation of players, many of whom started their careers during his time with Team Melli, are on the verge of returning to continental dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt gives me great pride to see players like Ramin (Rezaeian), (Hossein) Kanaani, Milad (Mohammadi), Saeid (Ezatolahi), Omid (Ebrahimi), all those players, including Sardar (Azmoun), (Mehdi) Taremi, Alireza (Jahanbakhsh), I think maybe only (Mohammad) Mohabi, but the rest are our players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oceano Cruz alongside Carlos Quieroz at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 (Photo: IG\/oceanocruz)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love these players and this is our team also and the kind of result like the Japan one shows that Iran should be the favourites now to win the Asian Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cQatar, as the host nation, will be difficult and Korea is also strong but the players now have the confidence and belief that they can beat anybody, that they can show everybody that they are the deserved favourites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, in football being the favourites also comes with a different pressure and they need to accept that and learn how to defend, how to play in transition but I really believe Iran must be the favourites now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watching from afar he may be, but Asian football still holds a special place in Cruz\u2019s heart and he told The Asian Game<\/em> that, despite currently working with some of the world\u2019s best young players, he\u2019d be happy to once again return to Asia at some point in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to return home and give back to my country and work with these great players and help to guide them in their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThere are lots of great talents in Portugal, Gustavo Sa at Famalicao, Samuel Justo, who is such a great guy, Youssef Chermiti at Everton, Diego Moreira at Chelsea is fast with good technique, so many of these guys have bright futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow it just depends on how they adjust and react as they make the transition into professional football. They need to show how badly they want it and to do anything to make it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs for me, I\u2019m happy where I am but sometimes I miss training every day the way you can with a club side. With a national team you have the players to train for maybe one or two weeks and then not for two or three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf an opportunity came in the future to return to club football no matter where that is it\u2019s something I would consider because you see now how much standards have improved right across the world and of course especially in Asia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cruz admitted that he was surprised by Queiroz\u2019s sudden departure from the Qatar national team on the eve of the Asian Cup but repeated his belief that even with the host nation \u2013 and defending champion \u2013 still a looming threat that Iran must display a ruthless nature to book their place in what would be a first final in almost 50 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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