Iran coach criticizes treatment of team before World Cup match

Iran’s coach Amir Ghalenoei has condemned the treatment of his team ahead of their World Cup game against Belgium on June 21. The team faced strict limitations imposed by the U.S. government, compounding their challenges. They arrived in the U.S. less than 18 hours before kickoff, after having to relocate their training camp from Tucson to Tijuana. Ghalenoei expressed his frustration over the lack of support and the inability to train adequately due to the restrictions, stating, "They robbed us of all these opportunities." Although he hopes for better conditions before their final group match in Seattle against Egypt, he emphasized the current situation has negatively impacted their preparations.

• 3:18 AMYahoo Sports — Iran coach again criticizes treatment of team, calls them `oppressed'