Iran's Mehdi Taremi Focuses on Football Amid Pride Game Discussions
Iran's Commitment to Football
Mehdi Taremi, the captain of Iran's national football team, emphasized that their primary focus during the FIFA World Cup 2026 is solely on the sport, despite inquiries regarding the tournament's designation as a 'Pride Game'.
In a post-match interview following Iran's 1-1 draw with Egypt, Taremi acknowledged that while their religious beliefs do not align with the concept, the team respects the LGBT community. The match was notably labeled as the 'Pride Game' by local organizers, with rainbow flags visible in the stadium.
Taremi stated, "Our religion doesn't accept that, but we respect all of the LGBT people. That's the idea; it's not about us, we are here to play football, we respect all of those guys," as reported by a video shared on social media.
Impact of External Pressures
The striker reflected on the external pressures faced by the Iranian team throughout the tournament, admitting that these factors have influenced the players' performance. He noted, "Yeah, we're looking forward to our journey. We have good energy inside. But we have to talk about these things outside. We have to leave it out because we cannot always keep it to ourselves, because we are Iran, because some guys don't like us."
Despite these challenges, Taremi expressed optimism about their internal team dynamics, saying, "But we feel, no, that's not right, I think. But we have good energy, positive energy inside our locker room, and yeah, let's see tomorrow what's gonna happen."
Iran's World Cup Journey
Iran concluded the group stage in third place in Group G, drawing all three of their matches. Belgium and Egypt secured the two automatic qualification spots, while Iran still has a chance to advance to the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams.
For Iran to qualify, they need favorable outcomes from other matches: a winner in the Algeria vs. Austria game, a Ghana victory over Croatia, or a Congo defeat against Uzbekistan.
Pride in Performance
When asked if he wished the discussions were solely about football, Taremi affirmed the team's pride in their performances despite the distractions. He remarked, "No, we are proud, we stay, as you see we play so well, I think. 90 minutes we fight and that's perfect, I think. Yeah, by small details we couldn't win the game, but we stand here, we are here, we want to show ourselves, we want to bring the joy as I said to our people."
He acknowledged that minor details can significantly impact games, emphasizing the importance of mental clarity, stating, "But we don't have a clear mind here."
Aiming for History
Taremi expressed that reaching the knockout stage would be a significant milestone for Iranian football, but he insisted that the players have already given their all. He stated, "We are here to make our history true. You know we're looking for it. We did everything for that. And I don't know what I have to say anymore, but we're just looking for tomorrow."
He added, "If our dream becomes true, thank God. If not, I think we are proud of our game, our players, because of how we did the games over the last three games, we are proud of. So yeah, let's see what's gonna happen."
Football and Politics
In response to a question about his message to FIFA, Taremi called for a separation between football and political issues, stating, "FIFA is doing their best. We know they have some problem too they cannot solve. As you know, football has to be apart of politics. No? That's what we're looking for, that's what the message we want to leave."
Match Summary: Egypt's Historic Qualification
On the field, Egypt achieved a historic milestone by securing a place in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time after their 1-1 draw with Iran. Mahmoud Sabre opened the scoring for the Pharaohs after a rebound from Mohamed Salah's shot was saved by Alireza Beiranvand.
Taremi missed an early penalty, saved by goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir. Iran equalized through Ramin Rezaeian, who was named Player of the Match, but a stoppage-time winner was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.
Shobeir made another crucial save to deny Saeid Ezatolahi, allowing Egypt to finish second in Group G and secure a Round of 32 matchup against Australia.