The Iranian coach rules out “mental games”, expects less politics at the next World Cup

Iran’s coach Carlos Queiroz said on Monday he hoped the next World Cup would be less about politics and more about football, stressing there are better ways to use sport as a force for good.

Queiroz’s team has been embroiled in an ongoing political crisis in Iran, under pressure from protesters seeking to challenge the legitimacy of Iran’s clerical rulers to publicly ally with them and condemn state repression.

Speaking ahead of his team’s Group B match against the United States on Tuesday, Queiroz was asked about the US soccer federation temporarily displaying the Iranian national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, in solidarity with the Iranian movement. protest.

“I still believe I can win games with these mind games,” he said at a news conference.

“I hope these… events around this World Cup are a lesson for all of us in the future and we learn that our mission here is to create entertainment and for 90 minutes to make people happy.”

After Iran’s 6-2 opening defeat to England, Queiroz vented his fury over what he called harassment and political pressure which had distracted his team, which had been criticized for failing to speak forcefully about the death of protesters, with some Iranians accusing them of allying themselves with the authorities.

But in a surprising turn of events, Iran beat Wales with two added-time goals on Friday to get back in contention for a place in the round of 16. The team faces diplomatic rival the United States in a match that will decide the group.

The Qatar World Cup has been the subject of controversy since long before it began over the host country’s approach to LGBT rights and its treatment of migrant workers.

Queiroz said there is a time and a place to use football to make an impact in the world and received applause from journalists when he spoke of “magical moments” from a simple gesture like giving balls to needy children in Africa.

“We stand in solidarity with humanitarian causes around the world,” he said.

In a thinly veiled reference to the United States, he added: “You talk about human rights, racism, children dying in school shootings, we are in solidarity with all these causes. But our mission here is to bring smiles to all people for 90 minutes.” .

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Source: Terra

Camila

Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.