Iran’s players and manager have launched an extraordinary attack on their treatment during the World Cup, claiming they were forced to leave Los Angeles immediately after their opening game against New Zealand without being allowed the recovery time that other competing nations receive, in a row that unfolded just minutes after FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited their dressing room.
Striker Mehdi Taremi and head coach Amir Ghalenoei delivered their stinging criticism after Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand at SoFi Stadium on Monday night, describing their World Cup experience as “a disaster” and calling on FIFA to intervene. “Everything is like a disaster actually for us,” Taremi said. “We have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us. It’s not good for the football, because in World Cup, you have to prepare good for the next game, because it is a lot of stress for the players and the staff and everyone. But we don’t have that support and I think FIFA have to help us more than this.”
Ghalenoei echoed his players’ frustration, saying the decision to remove them immediately had come without explanation. “They said we had to leave immediately. It’s very important for us to have time for recovery and yet we were asked to return to Tijuana and we are really troubled by that. We do not know why they are returning us. I think it’s very strange.” The head coach added: “It seems like others are doing the planning for us, decisions made elsewhere. We were supposed to arrive two nights before the game and we were not permitted. Our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup.”
Teammate Mohammad Mohebi said Iran should have been allowed to arrive in the United States two days before the game rather than the afternoon before. “Yesterday we came, we started the trip in the morning and we arrive in the afternoon. Then we go to the training and we get tired. I think we’re supposed to come here two days before the game. This kind of thing is not a little bit fair. We need to get fair competition.”
The situation is the product of months of extraordinary political uncertainty surrounding Iran’s participation in a tournament co-hosted by the country it has been at war with since February. Since the conflict broke out, Iran moved its base from Arizona to Mexico, nearly a dozen members of its delegation were denied US visas, and President Donald Trump warned the squad not to come for their “own life and safety.” Prior to the tournament, it was agreed that Iran, who play all three of their group games in the United States, would fly in and out of the country on matchdays rather than being based there.
Infantino visited the Iran dressing room shortly after the final whistle, praising the squad in emotional terms and telling them their participation was “sending a strong message to the world.” He said: “You showed to your families, friends, to your people, to the world, that you’re in the World Cup, that you perform and you have two more games to go. You send a strong message to the entire world. Like tonight you united the whole stadium here, you united the whole stadium behind you, behind Team Melli.” He added: “I know what you go through, I understand, but you are stronger than everything.” His words were met with applause from the squad.
It is understood Infantino told the players he would do what he could to ensure more Iranian officials, who were denied visas before the tournament, would be permitted to travel to the US for Iran’s final two group games.
Taremi said the players had asked Infantino directly why they were being forced to leave. “He just wants to help us. It’s the beginning of the World Cup now, and he will help us. We believe everything he says.” When asked if he had a message for President Trump, Taremi kept his response brief. “I’m here to play football, my friend. We are tired to talk about [the problems]. If they help us, we are much appreciated about that. If no one helps us, it doesn’t matter. We just stay back to back, behind each other and we try our best to win both the next games.”
Iran are due to return to the United States to face Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday, before their final group fixture against Egypt in Seattle.
