00:21A sacred book, a quiet prayer, and a nation placing its hopes in the hands of its football
00:28heroes. As the Iranian national team prepared to embark on the biggest journey of its sporting
00:34year, players paused for a deeply emotional moment. Before boarding their flight to Mexico
00:40for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the squad gathered on the airport tarmac, not for tactics, not for
00:47training, but for faith. In footage released by the Iranian Football Federation and state media,
00:54players, coaches, and officials were seen lining up to kiss the holy Qur'an. One by one, they
01:01approached the sacred text with reverence, seeking blessings, protection, and success before the
01:07global tournament. The ceremony was led by a cleric holding the Qur'an as members of the
01:13squad passed respectfully before boarding the aircraft. Following the ritual, the team captain
01:19gathered his teammates for a collective prayer — heads bowed, hands raised — a moment
01:25of reflection before stepping onto football's biggest stage. For many Iranians, the images
01:32from the airport were about more than religion. They were about identity, unity, and carrying
01:38the hopes of an entire nation onto the global stage. As the aircraft lifted off for Mexico,
01:44the players left with more than luggage and football boots. They carried prayers, expectations,
01:51and the dreams of millions. A little while ago, the president of FIFA said that when the World Cup
01:56is here in the U.S., the team from Iran will be playing in the games. Well, if Johnny said
02:02it,
02:02I'm okay. Did Johnny say it? Johnny Infantino, that's a piece of work. What if they win? Well,
02:10they won't have to worry about that. That's not… I'm going to have to worry about that one. That
02:15would not. Look, you know what? Let him play well. Johnny's fantastic. You know, he's a friend
02:20of mine. And he talked about it. I said, you do whatever you want. You can have them. You don't
02:26have to have them. Probably have a good team.
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