Millions of people poured on to the streets in a spontaneous party when Iran reached the World Cup finals earlier this year.
Elsewhere in the Asian Cup, Iran comfortably topped the group with a maximum nine points -- the only nation to achieve that target -- after cruising to a 3-0 victory over United Arab Emirates despite fielding a weakened side.
But out-going coach Afshin Ghotbi, an American citizen and Iranian exile who once scouted for Team USA against Iran at the 1998 World Cup, will hope that national pride will be restored with victory over their bitter rivals.
And then, in 2001, came the astonishing defeat of the national team by tiny Bahrain, which dashed Iran's hopes for the 2002 World Cup.
Despite all the hard knocks, Japan scored a last minute 3-2 victory over Iran, and secured a place in the World Cup to be held in France next June.
Iran was on the verge of being eliminated from qualification for the 2010 World Cup: Ghotbi had three games to save their campaign.
Several of the players have since played for Iran again and one, Javed Nekounam of Spanish club Osasuna, is in the Asian Cup team.
Not so football: when Iran's team returned home last week, after securing a place in the World Cup next year, it got a wild welcome.
Thousands of miles away, members of Iran's national soccer team sported green arm and wrist bands Wednesday during their World Cup qualifying match against South Korea.
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Daei has featured in Iran's most memorable matches - notably helping the country qualify for the 1998 World Cup on away goals after a 2-2 draw in a play-off against Australia.
But where they turned it on against the likes of Germany and Holland in the World Cup they also showed their tendency to struggle against supposedly inferior opposition - namely Iran and the United States.
He was even selected as a scout for Team USA at the 1998 World Cup in France, to give the low down on the Iranian national team before the famous Iran versus USA match, which Iran won, prompting a million people to celebrate on the streets of Tehran.
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