Fernando Santos' revamped national team - RESEARCH

The Azerbaijan national team roster has been announced today.

Head coach Fernando Santos has called up 25 players for his first friendly matches in charge, Idman.biz reports.

Unlike his previous selections, which were limited to official tournament matches, the Portuguese coach’s latest squad stands out with several intriguing decisions. The upcoming games against Haiti and Belarus could feature notable firsts and long-awaited debuts.

First division call-up

One of the biggest surprises in the squad is the inclusion of a First Division player—a rarity in Azerbaijani football over the past two decades. Known for closely monitoring lower-tier games, Santos has discovered Shahin Shahniyarov from Gabala. The young player, receiving his first-ever senior national team call-up, now awaits a potential debut in the upcoming matches.

Santos’ quartet of newcomers

Shahin isn't the only fresh face in the squad. Three other players will train with the senior national team for the first time: Aghadadash Salyanski (Neftchi), Rahman Dashdamirov (Sabah), and Khayal Aliyev (Sabah)

This quartet will aim to impress in training and earn their first minutes on the pitch.

Delayed debuts

A total of six players are waiting for their first national team appearance in the upcoming matches. This includes not just the newcomers but also Mert Celik and Sabuhi Abdullazada, who had been called up before but never made it onto the field.

Club representation: Qarabag still dominant

When it comes to club representation, Qarabag remains the dominant force with eight players in the national team. Neftchi and Sabah contribute three players each, while Zira has two representatives. Sumgayit, Sabail, and First Division side Gabala each have one player in the squad. Notably, Araz-Nakhchivan, Turan Tovuz, Kapaz, and Shamakhı have no call-ups.

Six foreign-based players

Santos has included six foreign-based players in his squad. A rare highlight is the double call-up from Polish club Radomiak, featuring Rahil Mammadov and Renat Dadashov. Additionally, players from Albania and Finland’s top divisions, as well as Germany and Turkiye’s lower leagues, will join the squad.

Santos’ nine new additions

Compared to the previous squad of 2024, Santos has brought in nine new players:

In addition to the "four" called up for the first time, Elvin Jamalov, Ismayil Ibrahimli, Mert Chelik, Renat Dadashov and Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev also returned to the team after the break. Instead, Emin Mahmudov, Abbas Huseynov, Anton Krivotsyuk, Jeyhun Nuriyev, Mustafa Ahmadzadeh, Nijat Mehbaliyev, Ramil Sheydayev, Rustam Ahmadzadeh and Khayal Najafov did not make it to the "25-team". Some of them were left out of the national team due to injuries and others due to lack of form.

Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz