Iran World Cup coach says 'impacted' by politics but ignoring 'hype'
Iran's coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Sunday that his team is simply at the World Cup to 'represent the respectful people of Iran.' A press conference took place barely an hour after a peace deal between the US and Iran was announced, bringing an 'immediate and permanent' end to military operations on all fronts.
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Iran's head coach Amir Ghalenoei (R) at a press conference next to Iran’s forward #09 Mehdi Taremi on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 14, 2026. PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP Iran's coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Sunday, June 14, political tensions and visa issues have damaged his side's preparations for the World Cup, but insisted his players will not "pay attention to any of the hype." Iran arrived at the tournament under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row, after the United States – in military conflict with Iran for months – refused to issue visas for some team support staff.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Le Monde (EN).
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