Before its first match at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the Iran men’s national soccer team seemed to make a powerful statement about current events taking place off the pitch.
Before the squad’s opening group match against England, Team Melli stood silently and did not sing while the country’s national anthem played. The move appeared to be a show of solidarity with protesters back in Iran, as demonstrations against the government have become prevalent across the country in recent months.
The players on Iran’s national team have remained mostly subdued amid the protests, which broke out following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody in Iran in September after being charged with wearing a headscarf improperly, according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden. During the demonstrations, women have been seen removing and burning their state-mandated headscarves, according to the Associated Press, and police have responded to the protests violently.
Before the tournament, Iran manager Carlos Queiroz said that players would be allowed to protest while they played at the World Cup in Qatar, which is situated across the Persian Gulf from Iran. Captain Ehsan Hajsafi became one of the first players to do so on the eve of the match against England.
“They should know that we are with them. And we support them. And we sympathize with them regarding the conditions,” Hajsafi said in reference to the protestors during a news conference Sunday, per Reuters. “We have to accept the conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy.
“We are here but it does not mean we should not be their voice or we should not respect them.”
Iran dropped its opener to England on Monday, 6–2. The team will return to action on Friday against Wales before wrapping up group play against the United States on Nov. 29.
