In their three weeks in Tijuana, Iran’s players established a reciprocal relationship of love and respect with Mexicans.Iran’s bittersweet, logistically complicated, politically charged, and heartbreaking World Cup run found a silver lining in Mexico, where the men’s football team departed their base camp in Tijuana to a warm goodbye from fans in the border city.Iran were eliminated from the World Cup on Saturday, after Austria’s last-gasp equaliser against Algeria saw them drop out of the tournament’s eight best third-placed teams.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listIt capped a dramatic 24 hours for Iran, who lost control of their fate for the knockout stage following a 1-1 draw with Egypt on Friday, which ended dramatically with an apparent last-ditch Iranian winner controversially ruled offside following a VAR check.The United States and Israel’s war on Iran dictated the logistics for Team Melli’s presence at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Iran goalie Alireza Beiranvand signs autographs for fans at a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, on June 28, 2026 [Gabriela Aoun Angueira]Iran shifted their base camp from Arizona to Tijuana not long before the tournament began, fearing visa complications. In rarely-seen stringent logistical conditions, the team was forced to depart for Mexico mere hours after the full-time whistle of their matches in the US, despite repeated requests from the Iranians to relocate their fixtures out of the country engaged in an active war against them.But from the moment Iran first touched down in Tijuana, Mexico welcomed the team with open arms. Fans thronged the perimeter of the team’s hotel before and after their travels for each group stage match, holding posters and waiting for autographs from players. Fans bid farewell to the Iranian team’s players outside their hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, on June 14, 2026 [Joebeth Terriquez/EPA]‘Hope our paths cross again’The mutual love and respect that developed over three weeks made its way to social media and a global online audience that backed Team Melli through their off-pitch hardships. Advertisement It was also on social media that the …
