Iran Coach Says Team Is ‘Most Unfairly Treated in World Cup History’ During FIFA World Cup 2026
June 18, 2026
Amir Ghalenoei, Iran’s national team coach, says no team in World Cup history has faced treatment as unfair as Iran.
Speaking out about the pressures surrounding the Iranian squad, Ghalenoei argued that football should be decided on the pitch, not overshadowed by politics, sanctions or external pressures.
“”The most unfairly treated team in World Cup history.””
His comments come as Iranian players and staff continue to face intense scrutiny both on and off the field, with sporting events often becoming entangled in wider political disputes.
As Iran continues its World Cup journey, the coach’s message is clear:
Judge the team by its football.
Not by politics.
Source: @middleeasteye
#Iran #WorldCup #AmirGhalenoei #Football #FIFA
English Script:
Amir Ghalenoel: I want to talk about the unfair treatment of the Iranian national team. We have spent so much time in the air that I don’t think we have been on the ground. We didn’t have the opportunity to arrive two weeks early to adapt and get acclimatised. Even tonight, immediately after the match, they told us we must leave, even though tonight is the most critical time for the next match, where we should be recovering and preparing. Instead, we have to board a plane and return to Tijuana. This is a major issue causing us a great deal of hardship. We don’t know ourselves either, and it’s quite ridiculous. The planning for our team are being made elsewhere. We were supposed to arrive in Los Angeles two nights before this match, but they didn’t allow it. It was also in our plans to stay here tonight, recover, and return tomorrow afternoon, but again they didn’t give us permission, and I don’t know the reason. Because of this, I tell you that the Iranian national team may be the most unfairly treated team in the history of various World Cups. The treatment we have received, whether in our late arrival, or before and after this match, is making conditions harder for us every day. But it has also made us more determined to work harder, with even greater energy, for our people and to put in better performance.
Mehdi Taremi: We didn’t know that we have to leave LA now. You know, it’s a bad situation and we’re just tired of the situation because from two months ago, last month, we have been having a lot of problems, and it’s so bad and affects our team and we just want peace, which is the center of FIFA, peace and joy.
