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Iran team leaves Mexico's Tijuana with 'pride' and fan affection
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Sports

Iran team leaves Mexico's Tijuana with 'pride' and fan affection

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Outcome reported
  • Over a hundred fans bid farewell to the Iranian national football team in Tijuana, Mexico, after their elimination from the 2026 World Cup.
  • The Iranian delegation expressed gratitude for the hospitality, stating their hearts would remain in Tijuana and that Mexico had become part of them.
  • The team's presence in Tijuana was a result of logistical restrictions imposed by the United States, forcing them to establish their base camp in the Mexican border city.

Fans gathered outside the Marriott hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, on Tuesday to bid a warm farewell to the Iranian national football team. The team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup and was departing Mexico to return home.

Iran, brother, you are already Mexican!

— FansFans chanted this during the farewell to the Iranian national football team in Tijuana.

Supporters, waving Iranian flags and wearing team jerseys, expressed their appreciation for the team's engagement during their stay. Players and staff met with fans, signing autographs and taking photos amidst a celebratory atmosphere. Chants of "Iran, brother, you are already Mexican!" echoed as the team prepared to leave.

although the delegation was returning to Iran, "the heart and soul" of the group would remain in Tijuana.

— Iranian team membersMembers of the Iranian team expressed their feelings about their stay in Mexico before departing.

Iranian team members conveyed their thanks, stating that while they were returning to Iran, their "heart and soul" would remain in Tijuana. They emphasized that Mexico had become a part of them and expressed pride in their performance, despite not advancing past the group stage with three draws against Egypt, Belgium, and New Zealand.

Mexico had become part of them and thanked them for the hospitality received during their stay, while assuring that they were leaving with "pride" for the performance shown in the tournament.

— Iranian team membersThe team conveyed their sentiment about their experience in Mexico and their performance in the World Cup.

The team's base camp was established in Tijuana due to logistical restrictions imposed by the U.S. government, which prevented them from staying and training within American borders. The Iranian ambassador to Mexico had previously criticized these restrictions, calling them "negative and violating FIFA regulations" by mixing politics with international sports.

negative and violate FIFA regulations

— Abolfazl PasandidehThe Iranian ambassador to Mexico described the logistical restrictions imposed by the United States on his national team during the 2026 World Cup.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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