The Persian team sang the lyrics that had remained silent during their debut in protest against the repression
In few matches has the moment of singing the national anthem become so important. After the phenomenal uproar at their World Cup debut, when the Iranian players refused to sing the song, which ends with an ayatollah-mandated eulogy for the Islamic Republic, the tension at Bin Ali Stadium was hard to describe. All cameras and fans’ eyes were on the Iranian starting lineup, much revamped compared to the first game.
The players sang. Some open their mouths without hesitation, like Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, and others very timidly, as if to limit themselves to covering the file. The one who didn’t see his mouth move was Sardar Azmoun, the Bayer Leverkusen player, one of the most active opponents of the repression and for the rights of Iranian women. On the other hand, and perhaps not only because of his football weight in the team, Amzoun was by far the most cheered by the Persian fans who meet today at Bin Ali Stadium.
It is not known to what extent the desire to bury the controversy or the possible retaliation of the regime against them weighed on the players’ decision. Both the coach, the Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, and Taremi were very nervous during their public appearance with the press yesterday. Taremi acknowledged that the issue of the national anthem could have distracted them in the first match, which they lost by a bang against England (6-2).
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
