Iran’s World – Iran’s head coach Amir Ghalenoei says players were ordered to leave the United States just hours after their Monday World Cup opening game against New Zealand, cutting short recovery time and pointing to visa denials for key staff. Iran’s captain Mehdi Taremi
When Iran’s players tried to move on from their opening match against New Zealand, the day’s biggest shock wasn’t the result. It was the order that came almost immediately afterward.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team was told to leave the United States just hours after Monday’s game at Los Angeles. Instead of settling into a night in Los Angeles before heading back to Mexico, he said players were ordered to return right away to their training base in Tijuana, Mexico.
“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” Ghalenoei said. “After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, (but) we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that.”
Ghalenoei said the team had expected to spend the night in Los Angeles before heading back to Mexico. but those plans changed after the match. The sense of disruption was sharpened by the way the return trip unfolded. Iran’s captain. Mehdi Taremi. said a journey that normally takes just a few hours stretched to more than five hours because of security checks.
“I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup,” Ghalenoei said. He did not specify who exactly ordered the team to return to their training facility and said he didn’t know why the order was given. Taremi. in the aftermath of the match. put it more bluntly: “We have to leave Los Angeles right now. and it’s not good for us. I think FIFA have to help us more than this.”.
The frustration wasn’t only about timing. Ghalenoei said several players developed cramps during the game, which was played in mild conditions. Both he and Taremi pointed to the challenges of preparing without key staff members. including the president of Iran’s football federation and some coaching support personnel. Those staff members, they said, were denied visas by the U.S.
There was more to the day than Iran’s departure order. Iran and New Zealand finished in a 2-2 draw. and two other matches on Monday ended tied as well: Spain and Cape Verde drew 0-0. while Egypt and Belgium ended 1-1. It was the first time in 68 years that all four matches on the same day ended in draws.
Even as Iran faced questions about treatment and logistics, the tournament clock kept moving. Iran has two games left: one against Belgium on Sunday in Inglewood, and another against Egypt next week in Seattle.
Iran World Cup coach Amir Ghalenoei Mehdi Taremi visa denials U.S. return Tijuana Los Angeles New Zealand Belgium Inglewood Seattle
Visa stuff again, shocking /s. Who even knows what actually happened.
So they got kicked out because of New Zealand? Like what did the US have to do with a World Cup game?? Seems crazy, sounds like FIFA should’ve handled it.
I read it like the US denied visas to their staff so they had to rush back to Tijuana, which… yeah that would mess up recovery. But then they also say security checks made it 5 hours, so was it like immigration holding them or what. And “oppressed in the World Cup” feels dramatic but I get being annoyed.
I don’t buy the whole “ordered to leave” thing unless there’s proof, because teams always complain about logistics. Also Tijuana is literally just across the border right? So how is that even worse than staying in LA. Maybe cramps were just from the 2-2 draw lol.