Iran coach says unbeaten World Cup start will be remembered in history

Iran's football coach Amir Ghalenoei believes his team's undefeated World Cup start is a historic moment for Iranian football. He emphasized that this achievement comes after a turbulent period marked by war-related disruptions, travel complications, and insufficient preparation.

“

I want to go back six months. We were in war conditions for six months; we didn't have our league operating.

Following an opening draw against New Zealand, Iran secured another point by holding Belgium to a 0-0 draw in Los Angeles. Despite Belgium dominating possession, Iran's disciplined defense and goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand's crucial saves preserved the result. Iran also created chances on the counter-attack.

“

Many teams cancelled the games they would play against us. We came to the World Cup in the worst conditions possible.

Ghalenoei pointed to the past six months of "war conditions" and a non-operational domestic league as major obstacles. He noted that visa delays, travel restrictions, and canceled friendly matches severely disrupted the team's preparation, with players divided between those based inside and outside Iran. "Many teams cancelled the games they would play against us. We came to the World Cup in the worst conditions possible," he stated.

“

Playing without a loss in two games is a great achievement. It will be written in our footballing history.

Despite facing demanding travel schedules and having less than 16 hours of training before facing Belgium, Ghalenoei asserted that avoiding defeat in the first two matches is a landmark accomplishment. "Playing without a loss in two games is a great achievement. It will be written in our footballing history," he said, adding that few teams could endure such conditions and perform well. He specifically lauded Beiranvand, calling him "one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of Iranian football" after his seven-save performance. Ghalenoei concluded by saying, "These players are giving everything and playing with their heart. The history and future generations will remember them."

“

I don't think any team in the world could have sustained such conditions and play like this.