Whistles at the anthem and problems with visas: Iran's chaotic World Cup debut

BarcelonaTired and weary, the Iranian players circled the Los Angeles stadium pitch, applauding the fans. In the stands, thousands of Iranian-American citizens were cheering them on while displaying monarchist flags. That is, symbols banned in present-day Iran. But for a moment, if only for a moment, it seemed that all Iranians could walk side-by-side, united. Iran's national team debuted at the World Cup by drawing 2-2 in a beautiful match against a combative New Zealand that surprised with its daring. It was a day when football triumphed, with goals and spectacle, even though in the preceding days, the talk, as expected, had only been about politics. A country's anthem doesn't always play on the territory of the country that has bombed it.

It was the end of a long day. 24 hours earlier, shortly after seeing a group of men brawling in pools of blood in the White House to celebrate Donald Trump's birthday, a plane landed in Los Angeles. Hundreds of police and military personnel were on guard. Everything is like a movie in the United States. But it was very real. The Iranian football team was arriving from Tijuana, Mexico. Just as a peace agreement has been reached between the United States and Iran that should put an end to the war, the national team of Washington's enemy landed in California to play its first match of this World Cup. Two warring countries reach agreements, also to play. Such is football, where the most beautiful stories coexist with the worst.

The Iranian national team went directly to the Hotel Westdrift in Manhattan Beach. At the gates, a group of protesters watched from afar, as the police did not allow them to get any closer. They were American citizens with roots in Iran, opponents of the Islamist regime. Many carried the monarchist flags of the regime overthrown in 1979 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the massive protests to oust Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and establish the Islamic Republic. "You don't represent us, you are not Iran," they shouted. When the World Cup draw was made months ago, luck had it that Iran would play in California, precisely where more Iranians had settled after fleeing their homeland. Demonstrations were already anticipated. But at that time, there was no war. The Iranians decided they would set up their base camp in Arizona, to be in peace. Then the missiles started falling.

With the start of the war, Iran announced that it would boycott the World Cup and would not go to the United States. Never in history has a qualified team exercised a political boycott, unlike the Olympic Games. Never. This year it seemed like it could happen, as Trump said he would not allow them to enter the country, recalling that two players from the team, including the top scorer Mehdi Taremi, had served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, considered a terrorist organization by Washington. But the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, is the king of diplomacy and managed to reach an agreement to move forward with the Iranian participation. The Iranians would settle in Tijuana, Mexico, right on the border. And on match days they would take a plane to play their matches and then return to Mexico, as the Washington government did not give them permission to spend the night in their territory. It was an improvised, imperfect solution, because the Iranians would arrive more tired than their rivals having to take a flight. Infantino, with the arrival of the peace agreement, pulled strings and, finally, the United States agreed that the Iranians could arrive at the match venue the day before the game, as long as they spent less than 48 hours there. "We play for everyone. Football can unite and bring peace and joy to the Iranian people," said coach Amir Ghalenoei, trying to be positive. In Tijuana they had been seen off by Iranians favorable to the Islamist regime, accompanied by cheerful Mexicans. Upon landing, they had been received by opposing Iranians, who insulted them.

Despite the ban, the stadium was full of monarchist flags. And when the anthem played, a large part of the fans booed. The players sang it embraced. It was a powerful image, hearing the Iranian anthem in the United States these days. In the stands, some flags of the Islamic Republic were seen, as well as others with the official colors but with the word "If four years ago the players dared to raise their voices against the regime, now they had to be its ambassadors by force. Always watched by police, they went to SoFi Stadium, the most expensive stadium in the world, to face New Zealand, the team where Tim Payne plays, who has become a sensation when it was discovered that he was the least followed footballer on social media in the entire World Cup. He now has millions of followers after a viral campaign started in Argentina. But, for once, Payne was not the most followed on the field. Everyone was watching the Iranians and the stands, as outside the stadium hundreds of people were demonstrating with American flags and Iranian monarchist symbols. The players arrived without the press officers of the Federation and many executives, to whom they had not been granted a visa. It was not an easy match for them.

Despite the ban, the stadium was full of monarchist flags. And when the anthem played, a good part of the fans booed. The players sang it embracing each other. It was a powerful image, hearing the Iranian anthem in the United States these days. In the stands, some flags of the Islamic Republic were seen, as well as others with the official colors but with the word Iran where there is usually a crest. The flags from the Shah's era predominated, carried by fans who booed the anthem, but once the ball started rolling, they celebrated the goals of Rezaeian and Mohebbi. Goals that were also celebrated in Tehran, and that united people eternally opposed but, at the same time, with many things in common.

Problems after the match

Once the match was over, however, politics reappeared with force. Iran's coach, Amir Ghalenoei, complained at a press conference about the treatment received. "We don't know why they're making us go back to Tijuana and it's very strange, because others are making decisions for us," he said. According to Ghalenoei, the American authorities had promised them just before the match that they could finally spend the night in Los Angeles after playing, but this was not the case.

When FIFA president Gianni Infantino came down to greet the players to congratulate them and joke that he was offering to play as a striker, Ghalenoei complained about the treatment received. Infantino put on a serious face, aware that there is still work to be done. In fact, upon crossing the border into Mexico, the Iranians discovered that the American authorities had issued a visa to player Mehdi Torabi that would not allow him to re-enter the country to play the second match. "Today on the field I saw many Iranians with different political affiliations, but they all cheered us on with their hearts and I believe this is a victory for everyone," defended Ghalenoei, who added: "We are the most disadvantaged and oppressed team. They make us compete in unequal conditions," he added.