How do Iranian fans view their national football team?

Iran’s defeat to the United States in the Qatar World Cup on Tuesday sparked feelings of both joy and despair among Iranians, many of whom have a complicated relationship with their national team in the wake of anti-government protests engulfing their country. 

Team Melli, as the Iranian squad is otherwise known, has been variously perceived as refusing to speak out against the repressive Iranian government, as supporting the protesters, or somewhere in between. Their defeat to the United States in a politically charged match knocked them out of the World Cup. 

Iranian Kurdistan has been the centre of the anti-government protests that began following the death of the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who was allegedly fatally beaten after being taken into custody for wearing her headscarf 'improperly' in September. Celebrations there were especially pronounced following the Iranian team’s defeat.

Several videos have been posted online showing Iranians in Saqqez, Amini’s hometown in Iranian Kurdistan, celebrating their team’s loss. Iranians are seen gathering and dancing on the streets, launching fireworks, and honking their car horns in typical signs of celebration in the country. 

Nov. 29, Tehran.
Iranians’ happiness after the defeat of the Islamic Republic’s team in #FIFAWorldCup.#WomanLifeFreedompic.twitter.com/eAOAbzf2BB

— 1500tasvir_en (@1500tasvir_en) November 30, 2022

🚨 Celebrations begin in Iran following USA’s victory against the Islamic Republic of Iran

Revolutionaries said they’ll be coming out across the country after the match to fight against the Islamic occupation #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/bv3KHdm0VM

— Mahyar Tousi (@MahyarTousi) November 29, 2022

Massive celebrations took place in the Kurdish regions of Iran after the Iranian team lost to its American counterpart.
Many regions are witnessing a revolutionary movement against the Iranian regime. pic.twitter.com/syy64eDjG7

— ضابط || Rojava security (@DalgashRasoul5) November 30, 2022

It is unclear how the Iranian authorities have responded to those celebrations - but some reports claimed that in northern Iran, an Iranian fan had been shot and killed by the government forces for celebrating Team Melli’s loss.

Not all Iranians celebrated the defeat, however, highlighting fans’ complicated relationship with their national team. 

"This is a hard moment for Iran and as the regime is killing hundreds of our people on the street, football wasn't the first thing on people's mind; even those who are avid football fans like myself. I imagine this is something like what the people following the 1978 World Cup must have felt; the first time Iran made it and when the country was in the grip of a popular revolution just as it is now," Arash Azizi, an Iranian scholar and avid football fan living in the United States told The New Arab. 

"But I still supported our Tim Melli and cheered them on. I was sad that they lost to the US, especially because we were so close to qualification," he added.

Team Melli refused to sing the country’s national anthem during their first World Cup game against England, an act that was perceived to be in support of Iranian protesters. The team sang the national anthem in their subsequent matches after coming under fierce criticism from government officials amid fears they could face repercussions for allegedly insulting the country. 

This is what courage looks like

The Iranian football team refuses to sing the national anthem on biggest stage in the world

Eleven men, standing shoulder to shoulder, sending out a message without uttering a word#WorldCup #WorldCup2022 #Qatar2022 #Iran pic.twitter.com/n8gtQed4Fl

— Stefan Simanowitz (@StefSimanowitz) November 21, 2022

Team captain Ehsan Hajsafi also recognised the protests ahead of the tournament. "We are here but it does not mean we should not be [the protestors’] voice or we must not respect them. Whatever we have is from them. We have to fight. We have to perform and score some goals to present the brave people of Iran with a result. I hope conditions change as to the expectations of the people."

Critics of the team say those gestures were not enough, and that they should have taken a stronger stance against the government. Some Iranians had even called for the team to be removed from the World Cup before the tournament began. 

Azizi said it was important for Iranians to take back institutions, including their football team, from the country’s repressive government, and criticised calls for the team to be prevented from playing in the tournament.

"I think those in the Iranian opposition who antagonised the team (and they've done this for some years now, campaigning for the cancellation of their games and kicking them out of the World Cup) made a bad mistake.... We in the opposition must champion our national institutions and try to take them back from the regime not simply give up on them," he said. 

"I saw some people apparently celebrating the US's win [over Iran]. I understand the sentiment: they considered the team to be the regime's team and they were happy it was defeated. But I don't feel that about our players, many of whom have stood with the protests in Iran from day one and all of whom refused to sing the regime's anthem in the first game, even if they were forced to do so later after themselves and their families were threatened by the regime."

The Iranian government has a history of clamping down on athletes sending political messages against the regime. Last month, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi was reportedly placed under house arrest by Iranian authorities for failing to wear a headscarf while competing in an international competition in South Korea. 

Iranian football legend Ali Daei, who called for the "unconditional release" of prisoners arrested in the crackdown on the protests in Iran, reportedly had his passport confiscated by the authorities in the early stages of the protests.