Iran's leading striker Mehdi Taremi, after the defeat at the Al Ain Cup, expressed very strong opinions about his teammates and the football system in the country, causing great controversy. The Uzbekistan national team defeated Iran in a penalty shootout, and after this match, the situation worsened.
It turned out that Taremi was directly given the right to take the penalties - this right was given to him by head coach Amir Galinoi. However, after a series of setbacks, Taremi sharply criticized his teammates' reaction.
He said that 10 players refused to take penalties and were afraid to take responsibility:
"We practiced penalties twice. Even then, our goalkeeper only managed to save the ball four times. Today, many of my teammates avoided responsibility. If we can't take a penalty against Uzbekistan, then what's the use of such a player in the World Cup?" he said.
When Taremi was asked why he didn't kick himself, he replied:
"By that time, I had already executed my penalties. It's not just a penalty issue. The structure in Iranian football has been seriously disrupted."
Not stopping there, Taremi also openly criticized the political climate in the country for putting pressure on football. In his opinion, in recent years, instead of developing football, there has been a process of weakening it.
"In the last 2-3 years, the destruction of football has begun. How can only 2000 people come to the "Zobahan" - "Sepahan" match? The Ozodi Stadium has been under renovation for four years. "Istiqlol" and "Persepolis" are forced to play on an 8,000-seat stadium," he said.
The footballer believes that behind such situations lies a policy of avoiding the gathering of several thousand spectators:
"If the goal is not to gather 50-60 thousand people, why are you sacrificing football? Give us good squares, and then demand results. Football should not be killed - it will always remain the most global game in the world."
Taremi's statement sparked widespread discussion not only in Iranian football but also in the media. The issue of responsibility within the national team, shortcomings in the system, and the conditions created for fans has returned to the agenda. What changes will occur in Iranian football after this criticism is still unknown.
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