Iran's national football squad received a warm reception at Tehran airport upon their return, following their participation in the World Cup. Hundreds of fans, including many children, gathered to serenade the team, chanting their support and waving national flags.
Supporters donned the national colours and jerseys of "Team Melli" to celebrate the squad's performance, which saw them narrowly miss out on advancing to the knockout stages for the first time in their history. The team finished third in their group, drawing all three matches but ultimately failing to qualify for the next round on goal difference.
Upon the players' arrival, musicians in military uniform played the national anthem, adding to the atmosphere. Many fans specifically praised goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand for his exceptional performance in the scoreless draw against Belgium. Beiranvand addressed the crowd, expressing regret for not achieving qualification and bringing happiness to the nation. Teammate Ramin Rezaeian voiced frustration over perceived U.S. immigration restrictions, suggesting they complicated the team's efforts to achieve a historic qualification.
Fan Mona Banisafa echoed this sentiment, stating, "The national team players tried their best, but it didn't work out. We came to thank them." She added that with improved conditions, the team would have undoubtedly secured a better outcome.
The team's tournament journey was marked by emotional highs and lows, including a late disallowed goal against Egypt and a tense wait to see if they would qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. Their hopes were ultimately dashed when Austria equalized against them in added time, allowing Senegal to secure the final qualification spot based on goal difference.
The team's World Cup campaign was also shadowed by geopolitical tensions, with the team relocating their base camp due to visa issues. Despite playing all matches in the United States, Iran faced travel restrictions, including limitations on arrival times before matches, which were only relaxed for their final group game. Student Nima Naseri commented that while the team is beloved, "our football deserves better" and suggested that improved conditions and potentially younger players could lead to better results in the future.
