Iran leaves locker-room letter pleading for fair play after World Cup draw with Egypt
After a 1-1 draw with Egypt, Iran's national team left a handwritten message in the Lumen Field locker room appealing to sporting integrity and warning against collusion that could knock them out of the World Cup.
The message
The Iranian squad wrote an English-language note on the tactical whiteboard inside the Lumen Field locker room following the 1-1 draw against Egypt. The message, shared by the Tasnim news agency, opens with a statement of principle: "We come from Iran, a land that for thousands of years has placed honor above victory. For us, football is not just a competition of results, but a test of character."
It continues with a direct appeal to sporting integrity. "Perhaps points can be won in many ways, but respect cannot. Perhaps a team can advance from a group, but only through fairness and honor can one walk with head held high before history. Fair play is not just a rule of football, it is the soul of the game."
The note concludes by thanking Seattle for its hospitality and all Iranian supporters, then signs off: "Iran, always head held high."
Perhaps points can be won in many ways, but respect cannot. Perhaps a team can advance from a group, but only through fairness and honor can one walk with head held high before history.
The 'biscotto' risk
Iran finished the group stage with three draws (0-0 against New Zealand, 0-0 against Belgium, and the 1-1 result with Egypt) and sits third. The team now must wait to see if it advances among the best third-placed sides. The note’s hashtags listed the six nations still to play: Austria, Algeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan and Croatia.
La Repubblica reports that two specific draws, Croatia-Ghana and Algeria-Austria, would send all four teams through, and a concurrent DR Congo win against Uzbekistan would eliminate Iran. This scenario, known in Italian football as a "biscotto" (a mutually beneficial fixed result), prompted the explicit call for fairness.
Geopolitical undercurrents
Written in red beside the main text were "#168" and "#Minab", the Iranian city where a school was bombed on 28 February. Iranian authorities say the strike killed 155 people, including 120 children, while Iranian media have circulated a death toll of 168 children. The New York Times reported that the missile was fired by the US military after a targeting error; the US Army has opened an inquiry.
These annotations link Iran's World Cup campaign to the broader US-Iran-Israel conflict that has simmered since February. Star player Mehdi Taremi had earlier criticised the tournament's logistical constraints after the squad was forced to stay in Mexico and travel only for match days because of visa restrictions.
It's a disaster.
A resilient campaign
Despite off-field turmoil, Team Melli exits the group stage unbeaten. Against Egypt at Lumen Field, Mahmoud Saber put Egypt ahead after five minutes, but Ramin Rezaeian equalised shortly afterwards. In stoppage time Shoja Khalilzadeh thought he had scored the winner, only for VAR to disallow it for a marginal offside. Coach Amir Ghalenoei’s side now relies on the sportsmanship of others to reach the round of 16.
