The Iranian national team have left North America, departing from its World Cup home in Mexico following a tournament marked by repeated disagreements with US officials, flashes of athletic brilliance and, ultimately, disappointment over barely missing out on advancing beyond the group stage.
The players return to a homeland still in the grips of an unresolved war with Israel and the United States. But their fans say they should be proud.
“I think even though they lost, it gave people a sense of hope,” said Mohammad Modarres, 38, who travelled from San Diego to bid the team farewell on Tuesday.
After its three group stage matches ended in draws, Iran’s World Cup future depended on either Algeria or Austria winning their match on Saturday.
Watching from the lobby of their Tijuana hotel, the team erupted in celebration when Algeria took the lead in stoppage time.
“I’ve never seen a room explode like that,” said Kimia Ranjbar, 25, a lifelong fan of Team Melli who had driven down from the Los Angeles area. But minutes later, Austria tied the game again, leaving the lobby in dismayed silence.
It was the last of many disappointments throughout the tournament, including when a late goal by Shoja Khalilzadeh gave Iran the lead in its last match, against Egypt, before being ruled offside.
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Distractions abounded off the pitch before and during the tournament, beginning with questions over whether Team Melli would even be allowed to play in light of US and Israeli war on Iran.
What followed was Iran’s denied request to move its matches to Mexico, a relocation of its base camp from Arizona, and the US’s refusal to grant visas to key members of the Iranian team’s staff.
The US also rejected Iran’s request to travel to the US two days before its Los Angeles matches, though it relaxed some restrictions for Iran’s last match.
During a World Cup security briefing on Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters that the US had made several accommodations for Iran’s travel and repeated assertions that many of the people Iran originally requested to travel with the team to the US were associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
“I’m just glad they’re done and they’re not coming back,” Mullin said, adding that he “might have sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.”
FIFA did not respond to request for comment.
In a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, the Iranian team said Mullin’s remarks showed a lack of commitment to international law and the basic standards expected to host a global tournament.
“The fact that he openly celebrates Iran’s elimination says far more about him than it does about our team. It reflects a level of pettiness that cannot even tolerate the presence of a football team competing on the world’s biggest stage,” said the team, which declined requests to interview players and staff.
Before decamping on Tuesday, the team thanked Mexico and Tijuana for their “kindness” but questioned its treatment at the tournament by the US.
“What we experienced was a series of decisions, logistical arrangements, and circumstances that undermined the sense of fairness — an impression only reinforced by the events of the final matchday of our group,” the team said in a statement.
Members of the Iranian diaspora were also divided about whether supporting the team showed tacit backing for Iran’s government, which many of them oppose. Some wanted to keep politics and sports separate.
“You don’t see someone screaming at (US football star) Christian Pulisic for something Trump does,” Modarres said.
