Persian Soccer
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🤐 Amir Ghalenoei calls for critics of Iran's national team to be censored and stripped of their platforms, including figures such as Adel Ferdosipour, Ali Daei, and others who disagree with him, accusing them of "destroying the national team." "The microphone is in the hands of those who shut down their programs during wartime, fled to caves, and only reappeared during the World Cup. My question to the authorities is: why did you give these people a platform so they could attack and destroy the national team every day? I'm astonished that the officials and statesmen gave them a platform." Instead of answering criticism, Ghalenoei wants those who challenge him silenced. Rather than competing in the marketplace of ideas, he is appealing to the same authorities that suppress dissent in politics to shield him from accountability in football.
Persian Soccer30,214 views • 20 days ago
📴 After Amir Ghalenoei called on political authorities to deplatform and silence anyone criticizing Team Melli’s performances, Adel Ferdosipour—one of the main targets of those remarks—opened today’s Football 360 by saying the show’s app and website had gone offline. He explicitly suggested that Amir Ghalenoei was behind it. Ferdosipour became emotional during the live broadcast, even shedding a tear. In all my years following Team Melli, I have never seen a national team coach call on political authorities to go after his critics. Ghalenoei has shown a willingness to invoke the Islamic Republic’s machinery against dissent in order to protect his position and keep everyone in line. That kind of attempt to silence criticism is unprecedented in the history of Iran’s national team.
Persian Soccer11,132 views • 19 days ago
When asked why Iran failed to achieve the desired results at the World Cup, Hooman Afazeli claimed that Iran did get results because the team did not lose a single match. But the math is simple. Three draws meant only three points, leaving Iran outside the eight best third-placed teams that advanced to the knockout stage. Rather than acknowledging that Team Melli failed to achieve its stated objective, Afazeli appeared more interested in spinning the outcome and arguing against basic logic and reality. He then claimed this was the closest Iran had ever come to advancing, which is simply false. Iran entered its final group-stage matches in 1998, 2018 and 2022 with an opportunity to qualify. In 2018, Iran finished with four points in a difficult group at a more competitive 32-team World Cup, compared with three points in the expanded 48-team tournament. Javad Khiabani reminded Afazeli of Amir Ghalenoei’s promises before the tournament, including talk of earning four points and holding week-long celebrations across Iran, with holidays reportedly set to be announced. Khodadad Azizi brought the discussion back to reality. Iran failed to advance, just as it had at every previous World Cup. Team Melli could not beat New Zealand, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and a side other opponents defeated comfortably, and failed to capitalize against a Belgium team reduced to 10 men. Instead of acknowledging the tactical failures and unmet promises, members of the coaching staff continue trying to redefine failure as success.
Persian Soccer14,714 views • 28 days ago
“We Iranians constantly underestimate ourselves. We do not dream big enough or believe that we are capable of achieving great things. We grow up with this mentality. We trivialize and diminish ourselves. For example, you mentioned what I was wearing and had a problem with it. Why should that matter? Why focus on insignificant issues when there are far more important things to discuss? We have the ability to create the conditions needed to become the best in everything. We should aim higher, believe in our potential, and stop relying on excuses.” After delivering two Man of the Match performances at the World Cup, Ramin Rezaeian speaks about the deeper sociopolitical and cultural issues that hold Iran back from realizing its potential for greatness.
Persian Soccer12,887 views • 24 days ago
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