Iran football legend Ali Daei has said he has rejected an invitation to the World Cup in Qatar in order to stay in his home country, where anti-government protests are taking place.
The 2022 Fifa World Cup begins on Sunday (20 November), as hosts Qatar face Ecuador in the opening game of the first winter edition of the tournament. Daei, however, will not be present as his nation competes in Group B with England, Wales and USA, with the 53-year-old having elected to ‘express sympathy’ with his compatriots instead.
