Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, expressed dissatisfaction with a sudden change to the team’s travel plans after a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their FIFA World Cup Group G opener. Ghalenoei revealed that the team was unexpectedly instructed to return to Mexico immediately after the match in Los Angeles. Despite being initially informed that they could stay in the United States until Tuesday lunchtime, the team was suddenly asked to depart right after the game.
“At the end of the match, they informed us that we had to leave immediately. We were told to board a plane and head back to our camp in Tijuana, which has caused significant distress,” Ghalenoei shared during a post-match press conference. He further added, “They are compelling us to depart early, creating more obstacles, but we are determined to give our best.”
Ghalenoei also highlighted the challenges Iran faced during their tournament preparations, stating, “We were supposed to arrive two nights before the game, but that was not allowed. Our team was meant to spend the night to recover and leave at noon the next day. I believe our team faces the most difficulties in the entire World Cup. Our federation, media, and management are all absent.”
Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi described the situation as a “disaster,” expressing the toll it has taken on the players and staff. He remarked, “The stress and fatigue from this situation are overwhelming, negatively impacting our team.” Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been overshadowed by uncertainties related to the Middle East conflict and associated security issues.
Following the match against New Zealand, FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Iran team in the dressing room for discussions. Iran’s travel challenges may persist in the group stage, with their upcoming match against Belgium also set to take place at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. The team will need to make another trip back to the United States later in the week before returning to Los Angeles for their next fixture.
