Mexican fans rally behind Iran as ‘our second team’ at World Cup
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An Iran fan holding the country's flag and a Panini World Cup sticker of Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi as the team leave for the US from Tijuana Marriott Hotel on June 20, on the eve of their 0-0 draw with Belgium.
PHOTO: AFP
Inglewood – Sporting his Mexico team jersey, football fan Alan Romero got up at 4am on June 21 to drive from Tijuana to Los Angeles, just so he could cheer for Iran in their World Cup match against Belgium.
The 35-year-old is one of hundreds of Mexican supporters who went to SoFi Stadium in the city to watch a match that, at first glance, had nothing to do with them.
Yet the crowd leapt with joy when Iran nearly scored, before the referee disallowed the effort for offside – earning a chorus of whistles. The match ended 0-0 after a gutsy display from the Iranians.
“Our second team for this World Cup is Iran,” Romero told AFP, taking pride in Tijuana managing to host the Iranian team at the last minute, after a series of off-field matters kept them away from their US-based training camp.
With the US and Israel’s war against Iran as a backdrop, the Iran side, nicknamed Team Melli, have voiced complaints of unfair treatment over US visas, travel times and equity with all the teams who have earned their spots at football’s global showpiece.
They moved their base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana after staff members had their US visas denied.
The tensions have created an unexpected solidarity between Mexicans and Iranians – a football friendship already evident on June 15 during Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand in a match also held in Los Angeles, a city steeped in Mexican culture.
The support was so noticeable that Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi offered his thanks to Mexican fans.
“We’re looking forward to the next two matches, we hope they’ll keep supporting us this way,” he said after the game.
Iranian-American YouTuber Art Eftekhari, who has a channel devoted to the Iranian national team, said: “The support from the Mexican fans has been unbelievable.”
The 44-year-old added that their support helps make up for all the controversies surrounding Team Melli.
Beyond the way the US has treated the team, the welcome from Los Angeles’ large Iranian diaspora has been mixed. Many in the stadium cheered for the players, but booed the Iran national anthem in protest of the Islamic Republic.
“I try not to pay attention to that, I’m just focusing on the match,” Eftekhari said. “The warm welcome of Mexican fans makes us forget about what’s happening off the pitch.”
For Latino fans, it’s the setbacks and the discord that motivates them to raise their voices for Iran’s players.
“I think that they’re being treated unfairly,” said Nikkole Martinez, a 24-year-old fan of Mexican descent who lives in the Los Angeles area.
“At the end of the day, they’re just young men trying to play the sport they love, it has nothing to do with their government. They should be treated fairly and equally, as much as everybody else.”
The Iranian squad voiced protest this week because the Belgian team were allowed to enter Los Angeles on June 19, but Iran were not allowed to travel into the US until June 20.
“For this game, they’re at a disadvantage. They absolutely don’t deserve that,” Martinez said, adding that she likes to root for underdogs.
Another fan who travelled from Tijuana, 25-year-old Jaen Pina, agreed that Iran’s treatment was unfair.
“The Belgian players are well rested, while the Iranian team is not, so that’s a big disadvantage,” he said.
Pina admitted he did not know any Iranian players, but he knew the team were up against big Belgian stars and he supports Team Melli on principle, because of the visa and travel issues they have faced.
“To be honest, why do they (the US) do that?” he said.
“That’s why I’m with them, because this World Cup has become political.” AFP
