The Iranian men’s soccer team departed Los Angeles immediately after their World Cup match against New Zealand, despite their coach’s complaints. The team’s coach, Amir Ghalenoei, expressed his disappointment with the quick departure, stating that they were not given enough time to recover.

US Government’s Plan

According to the US government, the plan was always for the Iranian team to return to their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, after the match. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that the Iranians had agreed to these terms.

The team’s preparation for the tournament has been difficult due to the ongoing armed conflict between Iran and the US. The team had to relocate their training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, and they have faced various challenges, including visa issues and travel bans.

Despite these challenges, the team will continue to participate in the World Cup, with their next match against Belgium scheduled for Sunday in Los Angeles.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.