FIFA World Cup 2022: Why Iranians celebrated its team’s loss against the US
On Wednesday, US beat Iran at the FIFA World Cup match. The loss of Iran, however, triggered celebrations among Iranians who were seen waving the US flag and bursting fireworks in the country.
For a game that carries so much emotion and pride, celebrating a rival team’s victory is rather unusual. But the recent act was in line with Iran’s current situation where citizens of Iran are grappling with the authorities over the death of Mahsa Amini.
A large number of protestors continue to boycott Iran’s football team, which they think is very much part of the oppressive regime.
Videos from the scenes of jubilation, where revellers can be seen dancing and singing soon after the USA’s victory followed have been making rounds on social media ever since.
Let’s take a closer look.
How are people celebrating Iran’s loss?
Journalists from Iran and across the world have shared videos of people on the streets of Iran. The revelry is rare but it’s a sight to behold as they bring a breath of fresh air from the usual scenes of burning tires and wounded protestors.
An Iranian journalist named Masih Alinejad shared videos of Iranians dancing soon after the US won the match on her Twitter. She wrote, “Iran is a country where people are very passionate about football. Now they are out in the streets in the city of Sanandaj & celebrate the loss of their football team against US. They don’t want the government to use sport to normalize its murderous regime.”
Celebrations entered the city of Saqez, Mahsa’s hometown. A London-based Iran Wire website, according to AFP, said, “Saqez citizens have started to celebrate and use fireworks after America’s first goal against Iran’s football team.”
Although AFP was not able to verify the content, the video also showed fireworks and the sounds of fans cheering in the background could also be heard.
A Norway-based human rights group called ‘Hengaw’ claimed that several Iranian motorists honked their way to mark the US victory in Mahabad. In the city of Marivan where security forces have recently waged a crackdown on dissenters, the night sky was filled with fireworks.
Joyce Karam, a senior correspondent in US shared a video on her Twitter saying, “Surreal: Fireworks reportedly from Saqqez #Iran tonight celebrating US win over Iranian team at World Cup. Saqqez is #MahsaAmini’s hometown, the woman whose death has sparked mass protests against regime.”
She added, “So much has changed in Iran since September 16, that soccer team is no longer unifying symbol of national pride. The image of US that regime painted publicly since 1979 as “Great Satan” is also being rejected in the areas seeing protests.”
It was a moment of joy for Iranian sports journalist named Saeed Zafarany who said, “Who would’ve ever thought I’d jump three meters and celebrate America’s goal!”
Have Iranians disowned their own football team?
Nothing can better explain why the citizens of a country decided to celebrate the victory of a rival country than the fact that there exists tension and resentment towards the regime and in this case the football team too.
The people of Iran love football but not their national football team anymore. According to a report by Iran International, many in the country have distanced themselves from ‘Team Melli’ – a term that is used for Iran’s football team – in solidarity with the current wave of protests that have emerged in the country.
The team’s apparent lack of support for protestors has prompted many to nickname ‘Team Melli’ to ‘Team Mullah’. Protestors have also claimed that many players have attempted to integrate themselves with the clerical regime, hence the new nickname.
An Iranian woman going by the name Mahoora told Fox News Digital before the match aired, “It’s not just some people in Iran, it is the majority of people in Iran that want the US to win.”
“Because a soccer team should bring honour to its people. They must be our champions. But right now people on the street are getting murdered. And people are burying children after they were killed, and the soccer team of the mullahs met [President] Ebrahim Raisi and celebrates someone’s birthday and laughed together. And they didn’t pay attention to the people. The football players just wanted to be the centre of the attention,” she added.
