Los Angeles, June 16: Iran’s head coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed frustration over sudden changes to his team’s travel plans following a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup Group G.
In a post-match press conference, Ghalenoei stated, “We were abruptly informed that we must return to Mexico immediately after the match. Initially, we were told we could stay in the U.S. until lunch on Tuesday, but as soon as the match ended, the travel plans changed.”
He added, “After the match, they insisted we leave right away. We were told to board a plane back to Tijuana for our camp, and this has upset us. They are forcing us to leave early, complicating our situation further, but we will not let this hinder our performance.”
The coach also claimed that Iran faced numerous challenges during their tournament preparations.
“We were supposed to arrive two nights before the match, but permission was denied. We were meant to stay here tonight and return by lunchtime. I believe our team is the most troubled in the entire World Cup. Our federation is not here, our media is not here, and our management is absent,” he remarked.
Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi echoed the sentiment, stating, “This situation is very concerning for the players and staff. We are exhausted by these circumstances. It is very troubling, and it affects our team.”
Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been marred by uncertainty linked to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and associated security concerns. Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the Iranian team’s dressing room to meet with players after the match against New Zealand.
Concerns regarding Iran’s travel may persist into the group stage, with their next Group G match against Belgium scheduled for Sunday at Sofi Stadium.
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