Watching the World Cup in Tehran

July 17, 2018 11:38 AM

We lefts the stadium with no loss, no victory, but plenty of indignation. Thousands of us walked out onto the street through a long dark tunnel, lost in the all-consuming blow of horns and chants of Iraa-a-a-n. The trumpet of God seemed to be calling out the Day of Judgment: Iran gave its best World Cup performance in recent history, and women were allowed inside Iran’s largest stadium for the first time in decades. @Pedestrian writes about women and Iran's World Cup performance for Popula.

Dispatches from the World Cup finals in Nairobi and Gaza, Belgrade and Tel Aviv, Montpelier and Paris, Berlin, New York City, Cleveland and Maine, California, and Tehran and Bombay.

posted by ChuraChura (2 comments total)

That first essay is great:

Iran lost to Spain, in the end; but there are two scores to every game, what the fans believe and the number on the scoreboard. At 62 minutes, Iran’s Saeed Ezatollahi scored a goal from close range past Spain’s de Gea, but the game was stopped for a VAR (video assistant) check. Our screams of joy were killed halfway: the goal was announced offside. The crowd in the café chanted “Marg Bar VAR” (death to VAR), but the score remained 1–0 for the duration of the game. We walked out onto Enghelab Square to dancing crowds and honking cars. The game was a tie so far as we were concerned; we had finished 1–1 with a previous World Cup champion. We were proud of Iran.

Thanks for the post!
posted by languagehat at 1:44 PM on July 17, 2018 [4 favorites]

Each time Iran had the ball, my aunt would recite Ayatol Korsi, the 255th verse of the 2nd surah of the Koran, used by some believers to thwart the evil eye.

Regardless of the culture, some things don’t change. My grandma used to do the same thing during Cubs games, but it was a Psalm and she spoke Yiddish.
posted by zooropa at 5:57 PM on July 17, 2018 [3 favorites]