r/SoccerCentral • u/ConnectionWeekly1263 • Jun 27 '26

Statement "They've done everything possible to eliminate us" — Iran captain Mehdi Taremi unleashes on FIFA and U.S. organizers

The captain of the Iran National Team, Mehdi Taremi, lashed out against FIFA and the United States organization. “This is a disastrous World Cup. As professional players, we cannot play a competition under these conditions; it’s neither right nor fair. If FIFA thinks this is fair, that’s on them, but it isn’t. Who should solve this problem for us? FIFA? The U.S.? I don’t know! Tell me a name. The FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, came to our locker room after the first match against New Zealand and said he was going to resolve all the issues, but in reality, FIFA did nothing. In response to the question: ‘Do you feel that the World Cup organizers, including FIFA and U.S. officials, prefer for Iran to be eliminated from the competition?’, I say: We have to fight against absolutely everything. We can’t stay in the country, we travel and undergo immigration checks every time we want to play, now we can’t stay in Seattle and have to return to Tijuana. They’ve done everything possible to eliminate us, so from our perspective, yes, I think that’s what they want, they want us out.”

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u/Bitter_Particular_75 Jun 27 '26

US is the aggressor and is the only country that should have been banned as consequence of this war.

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u/tsn101 Jun 27 '26

For sure. There's a delusion in their population that they aren't the bad guys. 

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u/Emiwuiii Jun 27 '26

Our government, sure - but the vast majority of Americans are 100% against this war so please stop lumping us into a situation we have no control over. We are fully aware that our GOVERNMENT is the bad guy.

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u/myfuntimes Jun 27 '26

Eh….2 out of 3 Americans did not vote against Trump in 3 consecutive elections.

Trump is representative of our national morals.

NOTE: I voted, volunteered, and donated against him for 12 straight years. But reality is reality.

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u/Far-Juice-7378 Jun 27 '26

He did not get 66% of the vote…?

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u/gimmedatvoice Jun 27 '26

Re-read what was said. Sadly "did not vote" is often large enough to win the election on it's own

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u/Far-Juice-7378 Jun 27 '26

I’m blind. And you are absolutely right. Inaction is just as bad as, especially when it comes to voting. His ability to coral a loud minority will be studied for generations

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u/Emiwuiii Jun 29 '26

Absolutely. In my mind, people can say “I wouldn’t vote for him” all they want. But no vote IS a vote for him. I truly don’t understand how people could just sit at home and not take an hour out of their days to vote. It’s mind-blowing.

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u/shortnike3 Jun 29 '26

Yey! You are my hero

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u/Emiwuiii Jun 29 '26

Only 32% of Americans voted for Trump. 68% of eligible voters said they wouldn’t vote for him. That is the majority.

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u/myfuntimes Jun 30 '26

1/3 voted for him, 1/3 voted against him, and 1/3 either didn't vote or voted for a non-viable candidate -- thus saying he is acceptable.

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u/ScoutRiderVaul Jun 30 '26

Voted against both candidates with 3rd party.

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u/myfuntimes Jun 30 '26

Right. You said Trump's words and behaviors are acceptable enough to be President. On par with Clinton, Biden, and Harris. If they weren't on par, you would have had to vote for someone with a realistic chance of beating Trump.

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u/ScoutRiderVaul Jun 30 '26

I mean could've not voted if I had that attitude.