Iran has reported being forced out of the United States shortly after their match against New Zealand ended, with coach Amir Ghalenoei claiming his team are the “most oppressed” at the World Cup.
The team’s preparation for the tournament has been significantly affected by the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States. As a result, the squad had to relocate their training camp to Mexico, with the Trump administration only permitting their presence in the U.S. on match days.
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Their World Cup campaign commenced with a thrilling 2-2 draw against New Zealand, celebrated by an enthusiastic Iranian-American crowd.
Coach Ghalenoei appreciated the fans’ support but expressed concern over the lack of cooperation from those managing the team’s logistics, which he implicitly criticized as a failure on the part of U.S. authorities.
“We’ve spent much time commuting,” he said. “They didn’t allow us time to recover after today’s match; we were told we had to leave immediately. Recovery is crucial for us, yet we were ordered back to Tijuana, which is troubling.”
“We are uncertain why this is happening. It seems that plans are being made on our behalf without our input. We were supposed to arrive two nights before the game and stay the night after, but instead, we were denied that opportunity and given no explanation.”
“Our team is the most oppressed one in the entire World Cup.”
Iran’s manager has branded his team as the “most oppressed in the World Cup” (Reuters)
“Our federation is not present here. Our media is absent. Many of our management team members are missing. We used to have part of a coaching team assisting with substitutions, but that’s not the case now. Many in the technical area had to manage without that support.”
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FIFA has been contacted for comments regarding the team’s scheduling.
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi labeled their situation a “disaster” and mentioned that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had visited the dressing room, offering to “assist” the team.
“We still face issues because we are meant to train tomorrow morning for recovery, yet we must leave for Tijuana right now. This is detrimental for us. Proper preparation is essential during the World Cup for the next match.”
Gianni Infantino was in the Iran dressing room before the game (Reuters)
“The stress on the players, staff, and everyone involved is considerable. However, we lack support, and I believe FIFA needs to step up and provide more assistance.”
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Footage shared on X shows Infantino encouraging the players, stating, “You are stronger than everything,” and reminding them, “This is just the beginning; you are writing history, and the whole world is watching you.”
Infantino is also said to have promised the players he would do everything possible to help secure travel permissions for more members of the Iranian delegation, who had been denied visas to the U.S. for their remaining group matches.
Taremi concluded: “We lack our President and key staff, which is crucial for us. Our manager is taking on media responsibilities, and it feels like everything is in disarray for us.”
PA