Italy’s repechage to World Cup, coach of'Iran displaces all with his exit

The issue related to the possibility of Iran not taking part in the next World Cup continues to hold sway, leaving room for a repechage (Italy, of course, also cradles the hope of going to America). As is well known in Tehran, they are adamant: they do not want to play on U.S. soil, but in Mexico, and Fifa, despite Gianni Infantino’s optimism, does not seem to want to say yes to the request. Too many logistical problems would be created, which, of course, would also involve the other teams in the group: Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Speaking on the matter, surprisingly to tell the truth, given the delicacy of the situation, was the technical commissioner of “Team Melli,” Amir Ghalenoei. “There is no reason not to participate in the World Cup. God willing, we will do it,” the 63-year-old former midfielder told German news agency Dpa. Ghalenoei has been at the team’s helm since 2023 and is in his second term after one that saw him on the bench between 2006 and 2007.

Ghalenoei’s words come at a time of great diplomatic turmoil. Iran has made a new request to FIFA, demanding strict security measures in the United States to protect its national team and the entire delegation throughout their stay on American soil. According to the Iranian news agency Wana, the team’s participation in the tournament will depend on the guarantees Donald Trump will be able to provide for its athletes, both inside the stadiums and outside. A decision that the government in Tehran will have to make by early May to avoid a hefty fine from FIFA.

In the meantime, just in the last few hours, Infantino has made statements that seem to go in the opposite direction of Iranian concerns. Speaking at the Invest forum organized by CNBC, the FIFA number one said that Iran will “definitely” take part in the World Cup, explaining that he met with the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, about two weeks ago. “I went to see them. They are also a pretty strong team. And they really want to play, and it’s okay for them to play. Sports should stay out of politics,” the FIFA president said, adding that “we hope that by then the situation will be peaceful.”

On the possible repechage front, the situation is becoming more and more complex. According to reports from the French portal nicematin, the most popular hypothesis within FIFA would be that of a last-minute intercontinental mini-tournament between four non-qualifying national teams: two European and two Asian. Italy, currently 13th in the FIFA rankings and thus the highest-ranked team out of the World Cup, would be the prime candidate for the UEFA quota. Alongside it could be Denmark, ranked 20th. For the AFC quota, on the other hand, the most credited names are those of the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

It must be said, however, that not everyone agrees on the format. RAI commentator Alberto Rimedio, speaking at the Festival of Communication at the Sapienza University of Rome, pointed out that the first alternative to Iran might not be European: “The main hypothesis, but there would be alternatives represented not by Italy, not by the play-offs, but in the first instance by replacing an Asian with another Asian. And that is specifically with the United Arab Emirates, which is the first of the unqualified Asians because they lost the playoff to Iraq. That’s the reality.” A reading that cools, at least in part, the Azzurri’s enthusiasm.

Curiously, Denmark is also watching the affair with interest, on the strength of a historical precedent that has something incredible about it: in 1992 it was precisely the Copenhagen selection that was repechaged, only ten days before the start of the European Championships, to replace Yugoslavia at war. That adventure ended in winning the continental tournament, a feat that Danish fans dream of repeating. Scandinavian social media were ablaze with enthusiastic comments, although there was no shortage of critical voices from those who felt that participating in this way would be “embarrassing” and a “declaration of failure.” Denmark, it should be remembered, had been eliminated in the playoffs by the Czech Republic on penalty kicks, just like Italy in Bosnia.