Iranian football legend Khodadad Azizi says football should promote peace and stay separate from politics amid tensions surrounding the World Cup. In comments reported by AFP, Azizi, 54, connects his message to the upcoming World Cup match involving the United States, with which Iran has been at war since February. Iran’s tournament campaign begins against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, with the team aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time in World Cup history.
Azizi’s remarks reference his own World Cup history: he played for Iran in the 1998 tournament, when Iran and the United States met at their first World Cup meeting in France. That match ended with Iran defeating the United States 2-1.
Across the coverage, Azizi’s central point is that sport can serve as a means of encouraging peaceful engagement rather than reflecting geopolitical disputes. The articles frame his comments as especially relevant given Iran’s participation in a World Cup co-hosted by the United States.
