Carlos Queiroz had a pretty good idea what he was signing up for in September when he agreed to return to his previous role as coach of the Iran national team, three years after ending his initial eight-year stint in charge, on a $50,000 contract for three months’ work culminating at the World Cup. Or at least he thought he did.
Pitched into a politically sensitive group in Qatar alongside the United States, England and Wales — Iranian relations with the U.S. and United Kingdom have rarely been anything other than hostile since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 — Queiroz would need to be both football coach and diplomat to ensure that Iran’s World Cup campaign passed off as smoothly as possible.
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But within days of him returning to Iran, protests against the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for failing to wear her headscarf properly, began to escalate and engulf the country.
Almost two months on, the situation remains volatile. Women continue to protest against the regime by cutting their hair and refusing to wear headscarves, with Iranian footballers, past and present, joining the protests on social media with posts that support the demands for greater rights for women and society.
ESPN: The game against the U.S. is the final group fixture and could decide the qualification hopes of both teams. You coached in MLS with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in the 1990s. How do you see the U.S. team and the progress made by the nation in football?
Queiroz: I see progress, football progress all over the place. The majority of the people they don’t see it, but the professionals, we know. The game is moving forward in the U.S. — it is faster, more quick-thinking, quick decisions from the players, so we have to be aware of that.
This happens with all countries as well, including the U.S. But year after year, they are taking off and comparing well with other continents. Now they have connections with players in big countries and competitions. The USA football players are growing up fast and comparing with other countries and other continents in the world.
ESPN: Can Iran surprise people in this World Cup?
Queiroz: What we expect in the World Cup is great games, great matches, great performances. Iran, England, Wales, Spain, Portugal, USA — everybody should be engaged with only one goal to create joy, happiness and pride for our supporters.
