2026 World Cup: Ramin Rezaeian in the Team of the Tournament alongside superstars
[88730] 2026 World Cup: Ramin Rezaeian in the Team of the Tournament alongside superstars
While Ramin Rezaeian receives professional acclaim for his performance in the World Cup, a political controversy is erupting within Iran regarding the events of the match against New Zealand.
2026 World Cup: Ramin Rezaeian in the Team of the Tournament alongside superstars
Following the conclusion of the first round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, data from the WhoScored website has granted international recognition to Iranian national team defender Ramin Rezaeian. According to reports in Varzesh3 and Football 360, Rezaeian was included in the Team of the Tournament for the first round due to his performance in the match against New Zealand, which included a goal and an assist. The state-run IRNA news agency notes that Rezaeian now stands alongside massive names like Lionel Messi, who received a perfect score after his hat-trick against Algeria, and Erling Haaland.
Simultaneously, the Esteghlal fan channel reported that FIFA defined Rezaeian as the "discovery of the round," while players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro were marked by them as the disappointments of the first round. Iran International summarized the results of the first round, which included impressive victories for France, England, and Germany, alongside a hesitant start for teams like Spain and Portugal.
Alongside the professional achievements, the match against New Zealand (which ended in a 2-2 draw) sparked internal political turmoil. Saberin News, a channel associated with regime lines, published claims that "supporters of Reza Pahlavi" and "traitors to the homeland" celebrated the goals conceded by the Iranian team and attempted to disturb the order in the stands.
On the tactical level, Akharin Khabar Mazandaran analyzed the draw against New Zealand and noted that the Iranian team suffered from "constant weaknesses" in the midfield area and difficulty dealing with long balls towards the opponent's strikers, which led to conceding two goals due to tactical defensive errors.