The World Cup has been marred by controversy once again, with Iran's national football coach Amir Ghalenoei firing a scathing broadside at the United States over what he claims is unfair treatment of his team. The Iranian boss has urged FIFA to step in and prevent similar situations from arising in future competitions, accusing US authorities of imposing travel restrictions that crippled his side's performance and preparation.
It was a logistical nightmare for Iran's squad, who were forced to switch training bases from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of the tournament. And it got even tougher from there – for their opening two matches in Los Angeles, they were only allowed to enter the US the day before kick-off and had to depart on the same day, courtesy of their visas. Even when some leeway was given for their subsequent match in Seattle, allowing a two-day arrival window, they still had to return to Tijuana pronto.
Ghalenoei was beaming with pride as he reflected on his team's achievements despite these Herculean challenges, hailing them as 'history-makers'. He's called upon FIFA to ensure that host nations don't subject teams to such conditions in future World Cups. Captain Mehdi Taremi echoed these sentiments, branding the tournament a 'logistical disaster' due to the constant travel demands to and from Tijuana.
The backdrop to this drama is, of course, the ongoing geopolitical tension between Iran and the US – and Israel, for good measure. FIFA President Gianni Infantino had already weighed in on the difficulties of securing Iran's participation, stating that his organisation worked tirelessly to ensure their presence despite external circumstances beyond its control. Infantino even paid a visit to the Iranian dressing room after their initial draw with New Zealand.
Iran's hopes of progressing to the last 32 remain uncertain, following a 1-1 draw with Egypt in their final Group G match. A stoppage-time goal that had fans on the edge of their seats was disallowed for offside after a VAR review, adding insult to injury – or rather, bad luck – for Ghalenoei and his team.