Iran’s football team has thanked the opposing fans from Wales for the applause at the World Cup in Qatar.
Yesterday, the World Cup participant showed a video on Instagram, where this scene can be seen after the final whistle in Al-Rajjan.
“The Iran national team would like to say thank you for this fantastic gesture of sporting support shown by the Welsh’s unique red wall after the end of this game,” wrote Team Melli. The Iranians had won their second group game 2-0 with two goals in added time.
The team was under a great deal of pressure, both sportingly and politically. Amid the worst protests in decades in their homeland, there had been an uproar that the players had not sung the national anthem before the 6-2 win against England.
As a result, threats of drastic government sanctions were reported. The Iranians can actually make it into the round of 16 for the first time against the USA on Tuesday (8:00 p.m.) in the sixth World Cup – and that in the midst of the greatest turbulence.