Players of the Iran national football team staged a pre-match protest, holding up photos of children killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, as they faced Costa Rica.
The friendly match was attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has described US President Donald Trump as ‘a close friend’.
The demonstration took place at the Titanic Mardan Palace Sports Complex in Antalya. The Iranian players and coaching staff walked onto the pitch carrying images of children, damaged hospitals and destroyed buildings. The team continued holding the photos during the national anthem.
Infantino, who attended the match alongside Iran’s ambassador to Turkey, Mohammed Hassan Habibollahzade, said Iran would take part in the upcoming World Cup.
Speaking after the match, Infantino confirmed that ‘Iran will be at the World Cup,’ adding that matches would take place ‘where they are supposed to, according to the draw,’ and describing the team as ‘very, very strong.’
The Iranian ambassador said the players were expressing solidarity through the display, describing it as a reflection of ‘social responsibility’ and referencing images of children and infrastructure affected by the conflict.
The match ended with a 5–0 victory for Iran.
The fixture was part of a series of rescheduled games moved to Turkey from Amman due to ongoing hostilities in the region. In a previous match against Nigeria on March 27, Iran lost 2–1, with players wearing black armbands during the ceremony.
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