USA v IRAN – What Players Did To Each Other in 1998 World Cup
Never mind the war – there’s honour in the battle: USA v Iran World Cup
After cutting off diplomatic relations, the idea of Iran playing against the USA seemed surreal. In fact, it was their first time ever playing each other and it was in the World Cup Finals 1998.
Fans mingled before, during and after the game as the fellowship of football prevailed.
Before the game, the Iranian team gave bouquets of flowers to the American team who reciprocated with American souvenir badges. Throughout the game, players helped each other off the ground, in fact the game was played in such a sporting manner that UEFA gave both teams its Fair Play award.
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See the great photo on page 131 photo in the book: Great Moments of Sportsmanship by PR Smith
Iranian Players (dark shirts) & USA Players (white shirts) – teams mixed up and players embracing each other
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Iran won 2-1. Football had helped relations between the two countries. This was the start of a new relationship. Behind the scenes, both teams met the night before the game and agreed that this should be the start of a sporting relationship.
They met the day after the game and US Soccer then invited the Iranian team to play a three-game tour of the United States. However, when the Iranians heard that upon entry all players would be fingerprinted and photographed, they objected. The USA State Department waived the regulation, and the tour went ahead.
The ISP reported comments captured the continuing moment: ‘Football has again helped to heal wounds between two nations who twenty years ago seemed set to bleed forever.’
“After cutting off diplomatic relations,
the idea of Iran playing against the USA seemed surreal.”
But they did!
And they became friends.
They drank and ate together.
They even played together after the tournament.
The Americans invited the Iranians to come and play more football in the USA.
And they did!
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Let’s hope that both the USA and Iran enjoy the game, the battle, the white heat of competition in the world’s biggest competition. Good luck to them both.
Wonderful story and great to read of two countries that are nearly always having a go at each other yet their footballers can play out a game in a lovely sporting manner. We’ll done to both teams.