Iran’s World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak after a 1-1 draw with Egypt left them needing other results to go their way. Captain Mehdi Taremi missed a penalty and had a late winner ruled out for offside, leaving him prostrate on the pitch.
On Saturday, Iran needed Ghana to beat Croatia and Uzbekistan to avoid defeat against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Croatia won, while DR Congo came from behind to win. Algeria led Austria 3-2 in stoppage time, but a late equaliser ended Iran’s hopes within 120 seconds.
The team faced extraordinary off-field challenges: a travel ban, bombing of their homeland, denied visas for staff, and security delays. They trained in Turkey and Mexico due to visa issues, and protests greeted them outside stadiums.
Despite the circumstances, Taremi urged his team to “run” and play without fear. The squad’s three draws won admirers, but the anguish of elimination compounded years of near-misses, including defeats by Messi’s Argentina in 2014 and Portugal in 2018.
