NY Coed Soccer

Sum Up The Iran Team In 18 Words...

Iran’s Club Teen of Radio Javan has invited those with sharp pens to comment on the Iranian performance last month.

The critiques must consist of 18 words as Germany hosted the 18th edition of the world’s most prestigious sporting event.

Winners will be announced during an award ceremony on August 21 and works can be submitted at either www.18.parazit.ir or www.toop.ir no later than Aug. 1.

Better news for Iran is that they have qualified for the World Cup of Beach Soccer to be held in Rio de Janeiro this November. They will represent Asia along with Japan and Bahrain...

And the only Christian player in Iran's national team has been named "Christian star of the World Cup" in a poll undertaken by a Dutch ecumenical Christian group.

Andranik Teymourian, a 23-year-old midfielder, received 31.3 per cent of votes in the online contest, organized by Gristelijk, a group of Protestant and Roman Catholic teachers and lecturers, out of a shortlist of 11 leading Christian soccer players.

"We selected only players who've chosen to be open about their Christianity," the poll's organizer, Menno Rasch, told Ecumenical News International. He said a total of 1060 votes had been cast and Teymourian, who recently signed for the English club, Bolton Wanderers, had "snatched first place" from Dutch midfielder Dirk Kuyt of Rotterdam FC, after gaining media attention.

Besides Kuyt, who received 24.8 per cent of votes, runners-up included three Brazilians - Kaka, Ze Roberto and Lucio Ferreira da Silva...

Iranian Women Fans Unable To Support Team

""We're out here like beggars in our own country trying to support our own nation's team. Are we not Iranians? Are our cheers less important?":  Iran

Further Protests Against Iran

For a soccer blog, it is surprising that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is getting so many mentions. But Iran’s appearance at June’s World Cup has ensured sport has been confronted by politics:  Security

Meanwhile, back in Iran, many have criticized the President’s decision to allow women to watch soccer:  Condemnation

Ban Lifted in Iran

The Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has announced that women will be allowed to attend football matches in big stadiums for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution:   Iran

Politicians Urge Checks on Iranian Fans

In a story that will continue to run up until June 9th, German politicians once again cite Iran’s presence in the World Cup as posing a security risk:  Iran

Political Own Goal

Politicians really should learn to think before talking. But they don't. And fans are left stereotyped.  Just a few qoutables:

“When the Iranians arrive we will take a very close look to make sure there are no religious fanatics among them." & “I don’t see why we need to tolerate savages and idiots.” Soundbites leave fans stereotyped

Politics and Soccer - The Road to the World Cup

It will be interesting to see how politics and soccer converge in the run-up to the World Cup, especially with Iran and other Middle Eastern countries.

“Football is very much politicised in Iran...One thing officials here don’t want is political trouble associated with the World Cup, which will be followed closely by almost every Iranian over the age of six.” Iran's Interior Minister invites German minister to Tehran

Joining Iran in Group D, are Angola and Portugal -- a World Cup match-up that will likely get nasty.  The two teams have a history: Angola was a former colony of Portugal.  And at a recent "friendly" the game was abandoned after 68 minutes due to a "lack of sportmanship" by the Angolan team.  And, of course, the fans did their part:

"Spectators, who ripped up the seats in the stadium and launched a pitched battle outside against riot police, smashing bus stops, cars and shop windows before order was restored." Battle in Portugal/Angola Soccer match