Iran

Iran are out, and they pushed hard before falling just short.

They finished 3rd in Group G on 3 points, right on the edge of going through.

The game that hurt them was a 2-2 draw against New Zealand, the lowest-ranked side in the group.

They twice led and twice failed to hold on, and that dropped point came back to bite them.

When the last groups finished, 8 other 3rd-place teams had more points, so Iran missed the cut.

Their main man up front was Mehdi Taremi, 33 years old, the striker they looked to for goals.

This was their 7th World Cup, and not once have they reached the knockout rounds, so the wait goes on.

The mood is frustration, because they competed hard and were only a single result away from history.