Football fans of the world unite! World Cup 2010 is here at last. For us Iran football fans, disappointment occurs often, yet we will never forget 1998, the underdog story behind Iran’s bid to qualify for the tournament and it’s epic win over Team USA. Watch this ode to 1998.
I wonder what’s going to happen this year… any Zidane-esq headbutts? 🙂 For what teams are you guys cheering?
My two uncles are flying in tomorrow night for several days of football obsession… should be a great time. Have fun everyone.
You should be deported back to Iran.
hahahahaha, well, Im an American so can’t really be deported but let me tell you why I was cheering on Iran over the US in 1998. For starters, I was sick of the American media politicizing the game… they kept talking about the hostage crisis WITHOUT mentioning the US overthrow of Iran’s government in 1953. You absolutely cannot talk about the hostage crisis without the proper context, of which the 1953 is an integral part. Indeed, when the Shah went to the US after the revolution and after private meetings between Bazargan and Brzezinsky occurred in Algiers, revolutionaries justifiably feared that the US would try to overthrow the gov’t again. More importantly, I was cheering for Iran bc football is such a big deal in Iran. When Iran won, the country erupted in celebration. Football is not nearly a big deal in the US, back then and even today.
As an avid follower of Iran team, it is probably for the best that the squad did not make this years World Cup. The collection of players during the qualifiers was one of the worst since the early 90’s…but it is always an adrenaline rush when you see them on the big stage.
….still get chills when I see the Azizi and Mahdavikia clips!
…so do I 🙂