‘Part of our culture’: Iran defying hardships and dreaming of first World Cup knockout round appearance

Despite a war disrupting its soccer infrastructure, visa issues and travel restrictions, Iran will enter its final game of World Cup group play with a chance to move into the knockout round.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After Iran played to a draw Sunday at SoFi Stadium, its second of the World Cup in as many matches, the team’s coach began his postmatch assessment by backing up six months.

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Among the many elements of Iranian society thrown into disarray in late February by joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel was the country’s soccer infrastructure. Its domestic league stopped playing. Iran’s top Iranian soccer official expressed doubt that the country would play in this World Cup — co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada — because of security concerns; when the country ultimately stayed in the 48-team field, the location of its home training base was changed from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. Several pre-tournament warmup games were canceled.

“I think that we came to World Cup in the worst condition possible,” coach Amir Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “This is something that I wanted all the world to know.”