Iran v USA was a high-stakes World Cup fixture with huge geopolitical overtones but there was a lovely moment after the final whistle between players from both sides.
The US won the match 1-0, therefore knocking their opponents out of the tournament.
After the final whistle, Iran's Ramin Rezaeian was visibly upset. US player Antonee Robinson approaches him and hugs him, appearing to say comforting words.
USA’s Antonee Robinson consoles Iran’s Ramin Rezaian after America’s victory. Iran’s regime has tried hard to brainwash its people against the US, but most Americans who’ve been to Iran will tell you it’s among the friendliest places they’ve ever visited. pic.twitter.com/GbyPFMEMVL
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) November 30, 2022
Robinson's heartfelt action was praised on social media afterwards all across the world.
Tense Match
Robinson's touching action came after a tough press conference. The match was always going to be tense due to the relations between the two countries and the unrest in Iran. In the US press conference, manager Gregg Berhalter and captain Tyler Adams faced a multitude of political questions. The pair was asked about their country's military presence in the Persian Gulf and the U.S visas laws for Iranians.
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However, they were also accused of hypocrisy after an action by the .S Soccer Social Media team. Before the match, the media team removed the Iranian republic emblem from the country's flag to show support for the uprisings in Iran. An Iranian journalist asked Adams how he felt to be living in a country that discriminates against black people within its own borders. The Leeds United footballer responded calmly. '
There's discrimination everywhere you go. In the U.S, we're continuing to make progress every single day... as long as you make progress that's the most important thing.
Anthem Controversy
For Iran, their tournament comes to an end. The team had to play in the World Cup amidst the biggest uprising in over 20 years in their country. To reflect the discontent of Iranians to the current state of their homeland, they refused to sing the national anthem in their opener against England. However, in the following games they sang it with reports emerging that they were forced to.
Next Round
For Robinson and his teammates, they face a tough tie against the Netherlands in the Round of 16 on the 3rd of December. The US have impressed so far in the tournament, avoiding a loss in the group stage and keeping two clean sheets in a row. They'll be hoping to continue their good run and make it to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
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