That this is regarded as even a remote possibility is a testament to the progress of Iranian football under Queiroz and a set of results since 2011 that has been achieved amid the backdrop of stifling international sanctions over the government’s uranium-enrichment programme. Iran are now the top-ranked team in Asia, have one of the largest fan contingents in Brazil and, while the rest of the world was hardly captivated by their goalless draw against Nigeria on Monday, it was the trigger for spontaneous street celebration in Tehran.