World Cup 2018: Iran World Cup squad taking internet by storm as suited up team picture becomes favourite among fans

IRAN may be unfancied at this summer's World Cup on the pitch but their team have won over no end of admirers off it after their pre-tournament photoshoot went viral.

The images, which show the squad known as 'Team Melli' suited and booted ahead of their Group B fixtures, drew a raft of adoring comments on social media.

The team, managed by former Manchester United assistant boss Carlos Queiroz, were the first Asian side to qualify for the tournament, and then the first of any qualified teams to reach Russia when they touched down on June 5.

With Spain, Portugal and Morocco in their group, the team will have been keen to maximise their time in Russia, as progress to the knock-out rounds appears unlikely for Iran, ranked No37 in the world.

Captained by Nottingham Forest's Ashkan Dejagah, this is the country's fifth World Cup and first time featuring in back-to-back tournaments  having exited at the group stage in 2014.

Iran have never progressed past the first round in any of their World Cup appearances, but these images may win them an extra wave of support to push them on.

Iran meet Morocco in their opening game on the tournament's second day on Friday, before travelling to Kazan to face many people's World Cup favourites Spain five days later.

On June 25 they round off their Group B action against Queiroz's native Portugal in Saransk.

The images hit social media soon after the squad arrived and Twitter did not hold back, proclaiming the squad 'eye candies' and 'models'.

But while their off-field attire has them looking dapper, the squad were forced to head to nearby shops to buy their own boots for the tournament after being hit by the news Nike will not be sending them any for the tournament.

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US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal triggered the cancellation, with American companies such as Nike now heavily restricted in how they trade with the Middle Eastern state.

The move came as a surprise to the Iranian Football Federation, who claimed they were supplied by the same deal in 2014 while similar sanctions were in place.

Fuming with the decision, Queiroz said: "Players get used to their sports equipment, and it's not right to change them a week before such important matches."

Along with trips to the high street to look for boots, the players have been asking non-Iranian players in Russia to lend them a pair.