sport news World Cup: Iran are the minnows of England's group - but can the underdogs ... trends now
Keep politics out of sports, and vice versa, most would say.
However, for the Iranian men's soccer team, it's impossible not to mesh both together amid chaos on the streets of Tehran just weeks prior to the start of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, where the 22nd-ranked team in FIFA's World Rankings will face England, Wales and the USA in Group B.
Over the last month, extreme suppression established by Iran's moral police, known as the 'Islamic Religious Police,' led to the death of 22-year-old woman Mahsa Amini, while she was held in custody.
She had been arrested for allegedly covering her head with a compulsory headscarf too loosely. Iran is is currently one of the three governments using the title Islamic republic in its official naming.
In response, several star players, including Bayer Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun, and Mehdi Taremi, of FC Porto, made their silence known on Instagram by blacking out their profile pictures prior to the team's final friendly against Senegal in September in Austria.
Women hold signs during a protest over the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini outside the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Amini died in September after being arrested in Tehran by the Islamic Republic's 'morality police', for allegedly violating the countries hijab rules, and her death sparked weeks of violent protests across Iran and football ahead of the 2022 World Cup
Players of Iran wear jackets to cover up their country's symbols in protest against the brutal repression of women in the Middle East country during a friendly match against Senegal
Several star players, including Bayer Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun, and Mehdi Taremi, of FC Porto, made their silence known on Instagram by blacking out their profile pictures
Iranian players will be given an international platform at the World Cup in Qatar to speak up about the political turmoil but many question whether they will risk the chance of being exiled
The Football Federation Islamic Republic (FFIR) of Iran had also attempted to quieten down political turmoil back home by banning fans from watching the team, as 'Team Melli' drew 1-1 in an empty stadium in Vienna.
Rumors had also linked the FFIR with attempting to arrange a warmup game against Russia in November. Both countries are already closely tied diplomatically due to the Ukraine war, which has made Iran and Russia allies in economic isolation.
And in late September, FIFA was urged to ban Iran from the World Cup over its sporadic recognition of women's rights. It wasn't long ago that Iranian women were finally allowed to watch their national team play for the first time since 1979 after pressure from international governing bodies football around the world.
'The Islamic Republic's authorities and its football federation must not be given the honor of participating in football's finest tournament while it is killing its citizens on our streets,' the Open Stadiums group - a movement of Iranian Women seeking to end discrimination and let women attend stadiums - said in a statement.
The non-profit called on FIFA to stand by its mission to promote and give light to those in need of 'all internationally recognized human rights.'
FIFA has not yet responded to Open Stadium's request but the world's leading football governing body expelled Russia from the upcoming World Cup for similar reasons due to 'irreparable and chaotic' harm that could threaten the tournament in Qatar, as diplomatic tensions between NATO countries and Russia continue.
Protesters gather in Manhattan to show opposition to the Iranian regime after Amini's death
Pictured: Female fans attending the football match against Cambodia in 2019 freely for the first time in decades, after FIFA threatened to suspend the country over its controversial policy
Iranian football fans wave their national flags as they cheer for their national team during a screening of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Iran and Spai
Iran, though, should not fret for its place in Doha, which is located right across the Persian Gulf water, as the World Cup starts on November 20.
The FFIR should rather worry about its players' stance in Qatar as the world's most watched sporting competition will provide them a platform to potentially speak about the political disorder in the country.
Star striker Azmoun, who has 41 goals in 65 games for his country, has already defied the federation's orders by sharing a now-deleted post to his 4.9million followers on Instagram in which he says 'that I am no longer able to tolerate silence.'
He added that being excluded from the squad travelling to Doha would be 'a small price to pay for even a single strand of Iranian women's hair.'
The 27-year-old's national teammates seemed to agree with his reaction, as they all wore a black jacket that covered up their national team badge while the Iranian national anthem was playing in their last match against Senegal.
Furthermore, prolific striker Mehdi Taremi shared on Instagram after the September friendly that he felt 'ashamed' to see violent footage filmed in Iran showing women's persecution in public.
Protests in Iran seem to be growing by the week as many activists don't want to only push for more rights for women but also a government overthrow that has seen the country under clerical establishment the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Cries for help could be heard in Qatar, when Iran will take on England in what will only be the second game of the World Cup on November 21.
The Three Lions and the Star and Stripes will have to be wary against 'Team Melli' with the AFC side labelled as 'minnows' going into the tournament but in reality are only three sports below Wales, who are currently ranked 19th in the world by FIFA.
After months of speculation, Carlos Queiroz came back to the fold to coach a side that he has found much success with after guiding them to their third consecutive World Cup - an first-time achievement for the country after Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.
