Rarely has a team arrived at a World Cup carrying as much political baggage as Iran.
Until this week, the host nation, the United States, had been at war with the country.
The team has faced visa problems. They have had to relocate their base camp. And when they take to the pitch here in Los Angeles on Monday (Tuesday, 02:00 BST), they will do so under the gaze of one of the world’s largest Iranian diasporas.
An agreement to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz was announced on Sunday. It may have eased fears of further escalation, but tensions remain high.
“This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup,” said striker Mehdi Taremi.
“I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived. The tension started even before we got here.”
After months of uncertainty, Iran moved their World Cup base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana.
The decision followed concerns over visas, security and the increasingly fraught political climate surrounding the team’s participation.
Iran’s manager, Amir Ghalenoei, told the BBC the disruption had inevitably affected preparations.
“Without any doubt, this kind of behaviour has impacted the spirit of football,” he said.
“Football is supposed to bring nations and cultures together. It is about bringing joy. These conditions have affected our focus, but I have tried to make sure the players concentrate on strategy and performance.”
Source: BBC
