Iran’s national football captain, Mehdi Taremi, expressed his discontent regarding the treatment of his team during this summer’s World Cup. Following a crucial 1-1 draw against Egypt on Saturday morning, which could potentially secure a place in the knockout stage, Taremi criticized the conditions faced by the team in the United States.
During the match, Taremi missed a penalty early on and struck the crossbar with a header. Iran eventually scored in the dying moments of the game, with a goal by Khalilzadeh that was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.
“They Did Everything to Eliminate Us”
Despite the disappointment on the field, Taremi’s strongest criticism was directed at the tournament’s travel arrangements. The team was forced to return to their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately after the match.
“This is a disastrous World Cup. As professional players, we cannot compete under these conditions. It is neither fair nor just. If FIFA thinks this is acceptable, that’s their problem. Who is supposed to resolve this for us? FIFA? The United States? I don’t know! Give me a name. We have no recovery facilities; there are no logistics personnel here to assist us. What can we say? We constantly complain about these issues, but no one helps us. No one!” Taremi stated.
Taremi pointed out that FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited their locker room after the opening match against New Zealand, promising to address all concerns, yet, according to Taremi, FIFA has not taken any action.
“We had to fight against absolutely everything. We couldn’t remain in the country. We travel and undergo immigration checks every time we come to play. Now, we cannot stay in Seattle and must return to Tijuana. The people in Mexico are wonderful, but the journey is hard. They did everything to eliminate us, so from our perspective, yes, I believe that was their intention—to make us exit the tournament,” Taremi added.
Concerns over the conditions at the World Cup had already been voiced by the Iranian team ahead of their second group match against Belgium.
Iran finished third in their group with three points and now awaits the outcome of other matches to determine whether they will progress to the knockout stage.
Final Standings of Group G
