Iran coach Ghalenoei slams 'unfair' treatment by US at World Cup

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has accused the United States of treating his team 'unfairly' during the World Cup and called on FIFA to intervene to prevent similar issues in future tournaments.

Iran competed at the World Cup amid ongoing tensions between the country and the United States and Israel. Their preparations were disrupted when their planned training base in Arizona was switched to Tijuana, Mexico, shortly before the tournament began. Throughout the competition, the Iranian squad faced travel restrictions that limited their movement across the border.

Visa restrictions and travel hurdles

For their first two matches in Los Angeles, Iran's players were only permitted to enter the United States the day before each game and were required to leave on the same day as the match, under the terms of their visas. The restrictions were slightly eased for their final group game against Egypt in Seattle, allowing the team to arrive two days early, but they still had to return to Tijuana immediately after the match.

Ghalenoei expressed pride in his players despite the challenges. 'To my players and the team, I want to say to them I'm proud of them. What these young people, these players have done, it should be written in history because the host country treated us very unfairly,' he said. 'Despite all of these problems, we've been able to perform well and the world is proud of Iranians and our team.'

He added: 'I urge FIFA: don't let hosts treat players and teams the same way in future World Cups.'

FIFA's role and Infantino's comments

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had previously stated that the organization worked hard to ensure Iran could participate in the tournament. 'When people were saying it would be impossible for Iran to come to the World Cup, I promised them that they would come,' Infantino said before the tournament began. 'I don't know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances - which we could not influence - Iran could come and play.'

Infantino visited the Iran dressing room after their opening draw with New Zealand, a gesture that underscored the diplomatic complexities surrounding the team's participation.

Heartbreak on the pitch

Iran's World Cup campaign ended in disappointment after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Egypt in their final Group G match. Iran appeared to have secured a stoppage-time winner when defender Shoja Khalilzadeh slammed a loose ball into the net, sparking celebrations among Iranian fans in the stadium. However, the goal was disallowed for offside following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, leaving Iran's hopes of advancing to the knockout stage hanging by a thread.

'I used to think that we were really a totally oppressed team, but after these three games, I have noticed that we also have bad luck as well,' Ghalenoei said.

Iran currently sits sixth in the standings of third-placed teams, with three groups still to finish. Only the top eight third-placed sides will progress to the round of 32.

Captain calls it a 'logistical disaster'

Captain Mehdi Taremi described the tournament as a 'logistical disaster' for his team. 'How is it possible we always have to travel to Tijuana? We love the people of Mexico. We love Tijuana, it's so good, they are so humble people. We love them. But as professional players, in a professional competition, it's not right,' he said.

BBC Sport has contacted FIFA for comment on the allegations.