‘We’re here to play football’, Iran downplays protest ahead New Zealand opener

Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei and star forward Mehdi Taremi insisted their squad will be playing for all Iranians at the FIFA World Cup, even as the shadow of political unrest and potential protests looms over their tournament opener against New Zealand on Monday.

Team Melli touched down in Los Angeles on Sunday to begin their Group G campaign.

Following Monday’s clash with the Kiwis at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Iran will face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, before traveling north to square off against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The tournament arrives at a highly volatile moment. Following military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February—hostilities that were reportedly subject to a peace deal on Sunday—the Iranian team faced severe visa processing issues.

The geopolitical friction forced the squad to abandon its planned training camp in Arizona for Mexico, while several key backroom staff members were barred from entering the United States entirely.

With Los Angeles boasting the largest Iranian population outside of Iran, reports suggest tens of thousands of demonstrators could gather outside the stadium.

When pressed on the situation during a pre-match press conference, Ghalenoei firmly distanced his team from the political theater.

“I would like to let you know that we are here to play football and we are here to represent the respectful people of Iran, be it the Iranians inside Iran or the Iranian diaspora,” Ghalenoei said via a FIFA interpreter.

“We only think about our country. We are not political people. The Iranian nation, we respect each and every one of the Iranians.”

Ghalenoei also went out of his way to thank reporters who asked about the logistical hurdles of moving the team’s training base to Mexico, drawing attention to the adversity his players overcame just to arrive in California.

Taremi, the Olympiacos forward with over 100 international caps, echoed his manager’s sentiments. Facing a barrage of questions regarding potential protests and the expected display of the pre-Islamic Lion and Sun flag in the stands, Taremi consistently pivoted back to a message of national unity.

“We respect all Iranians, be it the Iranians who are inside the country or Iranians who are outside the country,” Taremi said through a FIFA interpreter. “We are here to play football, and football can always unite all factions. Our people, we love them inside or outside Iran. For many years, the civilized country of Iran has been a united nation. We want to showcase that unity. We are here at the World Cup to bring joy to Iranians wherever they are.”

The veteran striker later emphasized that the players represent the entire global Iranian community, regardless of political ideology.

“We, the players of the national team, we play for every Iranian, be it the Iranian diaspora or be it Iranians in the country,” Taremi added. “Look, in every country, people have different opinions, but we are here as footballers to unite people, and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians, irrespective of where they live. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and we respect them, but we are here to bring joy to the Iranian people. We do not get involved in politics. We are here to play football.”

While Taremi acknowledged the palpable tension surrounding the camp, he expressed frustration with the media’s fixation on geopolitics over the actual sport, concluding the press conference by pointing out the total lack of inquiries regarding their upcoming opponents.

“Nobody asked any football-related questions,” Taremi said. “We are playing the excellent New Zealand team tomorrow, and I very much hope it’s going to be a good game. For the political, you have to go to other cities for this political press conference. We have high respect for New Zealand, and we want it to be a good game. We will make sure that we play a beautiful game for all the spectators, and I hope New Zealand will have the same attitude. I look forward to tomorrow.”

Vanguard News

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