Drama at the 2026 World Cup: Mehdi Taremi's goal disallowed for offside against Belgium

Drama at the 2026 World Cup: Mehdi Taremi's goal disallowed for offside against Belgium

During a tense match at the 2026 World Cup, the Iranian national team scored a goal that sparked a storm on social media, after it was overturned by the officiating crew following a VAR review. Mehdi Taremi's goal, which was scored in the 25th minute, was disallowed due to a millimeter offside claim, a decision reported extensively by many sports channels such as Varzesh3 and Footballi.

The incident sparked heated debates among commentators and fans. On one hand, there was criticism regarding the technological precision, as the Bad Futball channel described the offside as resulting from Taremi's positioning in a humorous yet controversial manner. On the other hand, a key figure in the football world, Thierry Henry, praised the Iranians' sophisticated team play and called it "pure intelligence" and exceptional initiative on set pieces.

While state-run and other channels, such as IRNA News Agency and Sepah Pasdaran, settled for a technical report on the goal being disallowed due to offside, sources in sports media noted that it was a "millimeter" decision that caused great frustration. The TvFutball120 channel even quoted a state television presenter claiming that "Iran's goals should have been approved," a position that highlights the tension between professional reporting and the national narrative accompanying the team in the tournament.