IRAN
#23 Ramin Rezaeian: (How does it feel playing in this World Cup and training in Tijuana?) “It’s very difficult, as you know, to train in Mexico. But actually, I have to thank the people in Mexico. They were so nice, they have great behavior. But it’s difficult to train in Mexico and play in LA. In the end, we are not happy today because we deserve to win the game. But this is football, sometimes you cannot reach what you want. But I have to thank my teammates, my friends, my people in Iran. They deserve more, I think we deserve more. We have to look forward and think about the next game.
“We were supposed to come here two days before the game, Mehdi? Yesterday we came and started treatment in the morning, then we started training, and we got tired. This kind of thing, I don’t think this is fair, we need fair competition.”
(On the booing during the anthem): “My people in Iran are so great, they are good at everything. Everyone in the world now knows about my people. If there is any problem between us? It’s our business, it’s none of your business. I respect you, but this is something between us, and we’re gonna solve it, don’t worry.”
#9 Mehdi Taremi: (Have things gotten better?) “Actually, honestly, we still have some problems. We’re supposed to be training tomorrow morning, recovery, then leave for Tijuana. But we have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us. It’s not good for the football. Because in the World Cup, you have to have good preparation for the next game, and it puts stress on players, staff, everyone. But we don’t have that support, and I think FIFA has to help us more than this. Let’s see what’s gonna happen in the future.”
Everything is like a disaster for us.”
Mehdi Taremi, Iranian National Team
“FIFA told us we have to go. It was supposed to be like I said: Tomorrow morning recovery, then we fly to Tijuana, then return to LA again. But right now we have to go back. I don’t know who (to talk to )… because it’s between the federation and FIFA. And also, we don’t have that. We don’t have our media, our president of the federation, vice president of the federation, and no one, some staff also, which is so important for us. We have no communication with FIFA and for players. As you see, our (indescribable name), for example, have to come here to do the job of the media. Everything is like… a disaster for us. But we don’t allow the excuses, we’re just looking forward, having hope for the next two games, and bringing hope and joy for our supporters.”
“We are always united with the people, our people. Through football, we are united with our people inside and outside of Iran. We play for every Iranian in every corner of the world.”
“It’s a bad situation, and we’re just tired from the situation. From two months ago, we’ve been having a lot of problems. It’s so bad and it affects our team. We just want peace, which is the center of FIFA: Peace, joy… Those things.”
(If Infantino was here, what would you say to him, from your heart?) Taremi: (Indicates he was in the changing room) “We asked him the same things. He for sure he wants to try to help us, but it’s about other things too, you know? Everyone knows it. I don’t need to mention that. Because… You know where we are. But everything is good. We just want more peace.”
**I confirmed earlier today with Iran that player Mehdi Torabi, whose visa was revoked, has been issued a new visa. There’s also no update for 11 Iranian officials, namely the manager, media officer, administrative manager, and president of the federation.**
South Africa
Ronwen Williams (c): (How has it been recovering from opening night’s loss?) “Of course, it was very difficult. The occasion, the moment. As a team, you don’t want to concede so early in such a critical phase of the match. Afterward, we had pain because we worked so hard to be at this moment that it hurt us so much that the performance ended with that result. For two or three days at camp, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone deals with things differently, that’s why we have an experienced coach for that, so he let us deal. But when Monday came, it was time to move on. The most important thing is to not lose that belief. This World Cup wasn’t given to us, we had to work hard for it. It’s going to be difficult because both countries (Czechia) are in the same situation.”
(On FIFA’s cyberbullying campaign and fake news) “I’ve been targeted the last few days about things I never said.”
Manager Hugo Broos: “This is part of my job. When you lose, you’re criticized, but when you win, you’re a king. When we qualified, a man came to me and said, ‘We need to make a statue of you in South Africa!’ I told him, “Make it of wood so it will burn more easily when I lose.”
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-Jon Jones