SouthernWorldwide.com – The Iranian men’s national soccer team was unexpectedly compelled to depart from the United States immediately after their World Cup opening match, a stark deviation from their initial plans.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed bewilderment at the directive, describing the situation as “very strange” and lamenting that his team felt “the most oppressed in the World Cup.”
Originally scheduled to spend the night in Los Angeles following their Monday opener, the team received instructions to leave the country as swiftly as possible.
Ghalenoei indicated that the order to leave the U.S. and return to their training base in Mexico came just hours after their politically charged tournament debut, which ended in a 2-2 draw against New Zealand.
The coach did not specify the source of the order for the team’s early departure. They had anticipated remaining in California to facilitate recovery after their first game.
However, post-match, they were informed that an immediate flight to Tijuana was required, a journey of approximately 140 miles.
The team’s captain, Mehdi Taremi, stated that the players experienced five hours of travel and security checks on Sunday, which is an unusually long duration for the typically short trip from Tijuana to the Los Angeles area.
“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” Ghalenoei conveyed through an interpreter. “After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’”
He emphasized the importance of recovery time for athletes, noting the team’s consternation at being forced to return to their camp in Tijuana so abruptly.
“It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, (but) we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that,” Ghalenoei added.
Ghalenoei further commented on the unusual circumstances, stating, “I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup.”
Taremi appealed to FIFA for greater support, highlighting the team’s difficult circumstances.
“I think FIFA have to help us more than this,” Taremi stated. “Everything is like a disaster, actually, for us.”
Iran’s subsequent group stage matches are scheduled against Belgium in Inglewood and then a trip to Seattle to face Egypt.
Outside the stadium, several hundred Iranian Americans staged protests against the government. Many fans from the Iranian diaspora reportedly booed and turned their backs during the national anthem.
Despite FIFA’s efforts to prevent their display, numerous Lion and Sun emblems, which were part of Iran’s official flag prior to 1979, were visible in the crowd. Many other fans wore these emblems on their clothing.
