Iran out of the World Cup, returning home Monday

Iran's World Cup is over. The team have been eliminated from the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, and the squad fly home on Monday (1) (2).

The campaign ends without a win, but not without a fight. A 1–1 draw with Egypt in the opener and a 0–0 against Belgium showed what Ghalenoei's side could do, disciplined, hard to break down, dangerous on the counter. Kevin De Bruyne and company could not find a way through.

It was not enough. Two points from two games left the door open, but the third match closed it. The details of the elimination, the opponent, the score, the moment it slipped away, have not been reported in full yet, but the outcome is final (1) (2).

Iran came to this tournament organised, resilient, and frustrating for every team they faced. They leave with that reputation intact, and no knockout round to show for it.

Fan-reaktioner

Fans are taking the elimination with a mix of gallows humour and warmth. One Reddit post titled "Win win situation and sorry to my Iranian brothers" captured the tone, a rival supporter offering condolences with a nod to how hard Iran made it for everyone they played. Read the thread here.