Iran’s national team played an entertaining match overnight Monday to Tuesday, rallying twice from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand. But the wider story around Iran’s trip to the United States was political, as the team arrived in Los Angeles just days before a expected agreement between the United States and Iran, and was met with boos, including during the anthem, as some fans waved Shah-era flags.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino went into the Iranian locker room after the match to support the players. According to reports from the United States, he told them: “I know what you are going through, I understand. But you are stronger than everything, and you are sending a strong message to the whole world. Thank you very much.” Last week, Infantino also addressed the difficulty of getting Iran to the United States, saying, “If I had to drive a bus myself from Tehran to bring them, I would have done it.”
Iran’s camp, meanwhile, criticized both US authorities and FIFA over the tournament conditions. Midfielder Mohammad Mohebi, who scored Iran’s second goal in its opening match, said the team had come from Mexico to the United States only on the morning of the game because they are not allowed to stay in the country for long. “Now we have to leave again, just to come back here after two days,” he said. “They are not treating us fairly. But there is nothing to do.”
Mohebi, who plays for Rostov in Russia, also drew attention for a provocative celebration after scoring, making a gun-shooting gesture toward the crowd, part of which had been displaying opposition and Shah-linked flags.
