Iran’s national football team left a touching, hand-written note in their SoFi Stadium dressing room on Sunday, following a difficult 0-0 draw with Belgium.
Released by the Iranian football federation, the message shows the country’s deep pride and gratitude to their athletes, while keeping their dreams of reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup alive under tough working conditions.
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Iran writes a heartfelt note and calls for peace
The 74-word message left on the locker room whiteboard struck a chord, highlighting the team’s resilience amid the country’s biggest problems.
The note conveyed a fierce message of cultural unity and an open plea for global harmony, which stands out as one of the tournament’s most powerful moments to date.
“From ancient Persia thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran is still alive and strong,” the handwritten note read. “Thank you, Los Angeles, for your hospitality. We arrived in Los Angeles with pride, we competed with honor, and we left with dignity.”
The letter also expressed deep gratitude to the passionate local Iranians who filled the stands, thanking all the supporters who gave their “heart, voice, and soul” during the team’s 180 minutes in California.
Iran left a note in the SoFi Stadium locker room. Read it.
They didn’t make it out of the group stage. But before they left Los Angeles, the Iranian team left something behind in the locker room at SoFi Stadium, and it’s gone viral for all the right reasons.
The message read as follows:… pic.twitter.com/NVdA9H0w94
— Football Paparazzi (@PaparazziFutbal) June 22, 2026
What’s worse is that the post contains the tags “#168” and “#Minab”, a memorial to the school children who were killed in the historic missile strike in Minab. It concluded by calling for “peace, respect, and friendship among all nations.”
From the football field to the negotiating table to the battlefield, every step we take as Iranians is part of a greater struggle: to protect the dignity and honor of our beloved people. #Minab168 pic.twitter.com/CFZ6EbYo49
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 22, 2026
Iran overcomes severe travel restrictions to remain undefeated
The defiance comes as Iran grapples with unprecedented obstacles. Due to strict travel restrictions imposed by US immigration authorities, the Iranian delegation is prohibited from staying on US soil for more than 48 hours at a time.
As a result, head coach Amir Ghalenoei and his team were forced to base themselves across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, for the games.
Galenoei was very critical of the environment, calling his team “the most pressured team in the World Cup.”
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Iran must beat Egypt in the final group stage match
Iran is currently sitting in second place in the group, with two points, two points behind Egypt who are in first place and recorded their first victory in the World Cup defeating New Zealand 3-1.
Belgium is in third place with two points and is expected to beat New Zealand in the last game to bring it to five points.
That is why Egypt is a must-win game for the Iranians if they want to enter the next round.
