Why Everyone Cares About This World Cup

Messi running inside. >> [cheering]. >> Back out it goes. Lionel Messi. LIONEL MESSI! >> [cheering]. >> FIRST CAREER WORLD CUP HAT-TRICK. TIES. THE ALL-TIME GOAL-SCORING RECORD. >> From The New York Times, I'm Natalie. Kitroeff. This is The Daily. >> And there IT IS! [cheering]. ERLING HAALAND MEETS THE WORLD CUP. THE WORLD CUP MEETS ERLING HAALAND.

>> Two weeks into the World Cup, the most. watched sports event on the planet has. already broken records. >> BRILLIANT FROM MBAPPé. BRILLIANT! FRANCE LEAD. >> [cheering]. >> MAGICAL from France. >> Hitting its highest attendance ever and. generating the most goals scored in. history. But one of the biggest stories of the. tournament is happening off the field. >> Feel like I've been lied to my entire. life about America. Like, I'm in Florida.

This beach is insane. Like, just as good. as Australian beaches. >> As a wave of international visitors. encounter an America they'd never seen. up close. >> What do you think of of America? Of. Texas? >> Texas is good. Everything is big. >> Ranch. I love ranch. I tasted here and it's. it's delicious. And I take two bottles with home. >> And Americans encounter them and open. their arms to the world's soccer fans. >> It's hard to say that and think.

Americans are bad because every single. person I've met that's American has been. unbelievable. >> Today, my colleague Tariq Panja explains. the magic and the complexity of this. moment. And Daily producer Anna Foote. >> [music]. >> talks to two fans in the middle of it. It's Monday, June 29th. Tariq, welcome back to The Daily. It's. lovely to have you. >> Lovely to be back with you. >> So, I have been watching the World Cup.

It has been incredible, the competition. itself, but also the amazing scenes that. we have seen from fans from all over the. world colliding with each other. And. this is the thing that you told us would. happen when you were last on the show. There is always this anticipation and. anxiety that leads up to the World Cup. And then the games begin and it becomes. this human experiment of what happens. when you bring the entire world together.

around a sport. >> It does and tournament after tournament. it gives us this brief moment of uplift, of joy, of people coming together. And we're seeing it in. places big and small here in the United. States. And I'm so pleased that people in this. part of the world are able to experience. this. >> And we should say this wasn't perhaps. expected because there was a lot of.

angst around some of the geopolitical. tension that was hanging over this. I. mean, one of the host countries, in this. case the United States, is literally in. the middle of a war right now. And the. US has even had beef with the co-hosts. Mexico and Canada. One of them Trump has. threatened to bomb and the other he's. threatened to turn into the 51st state. So, this wasn't straightforward. >> You're right, this wasn't. straightforward at all. America's. posture. to the world has been one which is kind. of antithetical to a tournament that is.

supposed to bring the world together and. bring the world to it. This was a. country that was talking about building. walls, reducing immigration, sending. people out. And for fans who were trying. to come here, getting visas was proving. very difficult. Then there was is. question of ICE enforcement at the. tournament, the possibility of that. And. even even on the cusp of the tournament, we had the situation with the referee. from Somalia, a FIFA referee, someone on.

the list to work at this tournament, sent back to Turkey where he flew from. And that does give you a sense of dread. if you are not someone who is sure. they're going to be able to get into. this country. But, tournament starts. And [music] we've seen wonderful images. We've heard wonderful songs. We've all. heard anecdotes of things that only the. World Cup can bring. It is what happens.

when the world comes together. >> And so, Tariq, despite the baggage, the. good feelings began almost immediately. So, tell us how that happened. Like, what. actually shifted? >> What shifted? The people. It starts with these teams, 48 teams. >> [music]. >> in the biggest World Cup ever. And they have to choose base camps, where the team will be staying between. their matches in these enormous stadiums. in these cities.

And where they tend to go. are certainly not big cities. I'll give. you some examples. Spain going to Chattanooga. >> Right. >> And. there is a phenomenon there called. Lamine watching. So, Lamine Yamal is one of the most. famous athletes in the world. He is. going to be the next massive superstar.

after Messi and Ronaldo. >> Right. >> And here we are seeing him go to a. Walmart. Then, we have Erling Haaland, who also has a claim to be one of the. most famous people in the world. >> I've been eating healthy since I came to. US and now enjoy some American food. >> He's with Norway in Greensboro. >> How cool is it to have Norway in. Greensboro, North Carolina? >> It's awesome. It's epic. >> [cheering].

>> But, the best example, the one that is almost. the cutest, is what happened. when the Algerian team arrived. in Lawrence, Kansas. >> [music]. >> They prepared by getting the marching. band of the University of Kansas to. learn the national anthem of Algeria. >> I want to say thank you to team Algeria. for choosing our hometown, Lawrence,

Kansas, to come here. And uh so, welcome. >> This, I believe it's a college town, would never have had anything. approaching this in terms of a global. event. >> So far, uh everybody here has been very. friendly and very welcoming, and I'm. really glad Algeria is going to be here. And 1 2 3 Viva Alger. >> You see local people. dressed in the Algeria jerseys. They are. all rooting for this Algerian team.

>> So, I I got I love to support them, you. know? Especially since they're in. Lawrence, you know? Like I'll support. them. >> [music]. >> Right. Okay. So, you start to have this. mutual excitement bubbling up on both. sides, the teams and the Americans that. are receiving them. And then, there's a next wave that. comes, right? When the fans of these. teams begin to arrive. Talk to me about.

that. >> Now, this is my favorite part. This is where fans from. every corner of our world. arrive full of hope. full of cheer and just ready to have fun. meeting each other. and showing. their colors. They're showing their. songs and we've seen that. We've seen. images of. >> Blue! >> the famous or now famous Norwegian.

Viking Road taking over New York and New. Jersey including an escalator. where you have Norwegian fans sitting. down and rowing as it takes them into. the subway system. >> Yeah. >> There are buses that have been organized. by the city of Dallas to take fans to. various points of interest. >> In Norway. we have nothing like this. This is too. much.

I love it. >> But the one that's proved [music] more. popular than most. has been the trip to Bucky's. >> going to believe this, guys. This is a. gas station. This goes on for miles and. miles and miles. >> Got to get to Bucky's. I agree with that. strategy. >> And the guys behind the counter like. they do a sing-song. What is this place? I could stay in here forever. >> We've also had all of these stories of. fans whether they're French, Japanese or.

from anywhere else trying American food. and actually [music]. liking it. >> Hot french fries in a chocolate. milkshake. That shouldn't work, but it's. actually really good. >> Texas barbecue seems to be a big hit at. [music] the moment. >> Amazing! >> Hey, that's a shark. >> The Philly cheesesteak [music]. >> a national delicacy. >> Uh yeah, a national delicacy. >> I love I love that I love beef, I love. cheese, so you know, it's perfect. combination. >> And then.

>> [music]. >> Scotland. >> [cheering]. >> What can we say about the Tartan Army? The name the Scottish fans are best. known by. >> What's been the most [music] Bostonian. thing you've seen or witnessed? >> It's going to be Samuel Adams. >> The beer. Couple of guys don't like it, but I think it's quite nice. >> They hadn't been to the World Cup since. 1998. >> Right. >> And they really have made up for lost. time, haven't they? >> The Bostonians are something special.

Honestly. >> The people of Boston will never forget. the days the Tartan Army invaded their. city. >> [music]. >> And obviously drank their city dry, but. all in good cheer. >> It went from regular Boston to all of a. sudden party Boston 24/7. >> Gentlemen, you're only going to know two. words. Yankees suck. >> The Scots making up for lost time is. going to be one of the stories of the.

World Cup. [music]. >> Scotland did unfortunately just. officially get kicked out of the World. Cup this past weekend, but they clearly. left an impression. I mean, it was so. pronounced this love story between these. Scottish fans and the Bostonians that. received them that I think the Boston. Globe literally dedicated a full page in. the newspaper just thanking them for. visiting. >> They [clears throat] did indeed. And now. the Scots have a tradition for this.

The way the fan culture works is be. loud, be fun, drink all of the beer, but. leave the people happy you were there. This was a culture that was created. almost as an opposition. to the hooliganism that was around. English football and English fans in the. '80s and '90s. >> I had no idea. That's so interesting. >> And it's not just the Scots. You can't. manufacture some of these meetings. They. are chance meetings. And we're seeing. this in a way that perhaps we were not.

expecting because of the sensation or. the feeling around the US. >> Right. And so these international fans, they're being exposed to parts of. America that they may never have seen. otherwise. And for Americans, you do see people. trying to show their most open selves. >> I think there's also the. inquisitiveness. People want to know about each other.

And there's a pride as well. Say, "Look, this is our town. This is who we are. And we want to show our best face.". >> It also feels significant that this is. happening at the same time that the. United States celebrates its 250th. anniversary. And some of those official. celebrations have become very tied to. President Trump, and they've become. contentious in some cases for that. reason. And then at the same time, you have this. other celebration that's happening all.

across the country. that also feels like it's saying. something important [clears throat]. about the United States and its. identity. >> Yeah, it tells us that this country is a. patchwork of people, and it was built on. everybody. This is an immigrant nation. The World. Cup has shown it to be so. Not only are. the fans coming from overseas to support. their teams, the entire diaspora of. these teams is also behind them.

I met a guy who was Jordanian. >> And what's your name, sir? >> My name is Farouk or Fred. >> This man called Farouk. >> I moved to the state 46 years ago. >> 46 years ago? >> Yes. It's It's a split love. I love. America more than anything. >> And he just could not tell me how much. he loved America. >> For me, it's the one that gave me the. opportunity. It gives me everything. My. kids, I have three boys and a girl. They. all successful. >> He was beaming about what America gave.

to him. >> But Jordan is my love. >> But he also said, "I love Jordan.". >> Yeah, how do you how do you feel? >> Oh my god, this is the proudest moment. of my life. >> Really? >> For a small nation of ours, you cannot. believe how proud we are. >> I am so proud that my country has made. the World Cup. >> I came to the first game and I'm a. second game then I'm going to go watch. >> He was off to Dallas next to see them. against Lionel Messi. >> every day of the week. God bless. America. God bless everything about this.

place. And God bless my nation Jordan. >> Thank you for your question. >> So you can have that duality. It's also what it's shown. You can be. two things. You don't have to lash. yourself to one flag or to the master. one idea. >> Right, and in many ways this is kind of. the diaspora World Cup. >> Off the field and on the field, the word. diaspora has been said over and over. about this World Cup. But with that. comes a degree of complexity. It is not.

a seamless thing. This can sometimes be. difficult. >> Just talk about that side of things. What exactly you mean by that? >> The most obvious case has to be that of. Iran. This is a team I've been following. now for months since the start of the. war. This team has faced hardships unlike any. other. This is the first time a team. participating at the World Cup has been.

in conflict, military conflict. with a host nation. >> Right. That has struck us here, too. I. mean, the complications around the Iran. team has been this major story of the. World Cup for many reasons, right? >> Yeah, and the fans have had their own. kind of hardships. because of the feeling towards the. government in Iran, the love of country. in that context, and the love of team. Do we support this team? Who does this.

team represent? And it has split the. Iranian community somewhat. I think most. Iranians remain. firmly supportive of the team on the. field, but I've spoken to so many people. who are trying to find ways to support. the team, but also in a way protest or. find a way of opposing the government. back home. >> You're saying this really big Iranian.

community in the United States is. itself in conflict over how to relate to. their own team, right? Because they have. such a conflicted relationship to their. government. And the idea of how to. support them is presenting all of these. conundrums for these people. >> It does. On the most extreme edge of. this are people who simply will not. support the team and say, "This is a. propaganda tool of the government in. Tehran. This is not the Iranian team.".

But it's the majority in the middle. They're the ones I think that are. finding it the hardest because they do. love this team. They do love their. country as well. So, how do you support them? So, we're almost seeing. kind of the internal divisions of the. Iranian opposition, Iranian politics. writ large, around the outskirts of a. World Cup stadium in Los Angeles.

>> Right. You're seeing this internal. struggle of this. diaspora play out live in front of us in. the stadiums, outside them. This. internal debate inside of a community. over how to relate to their team, it's all there in public. >> It It's It's all there in public, and. it's all in the face of those players. So, when the Iranian national anthem. plays, you hear widespread booing, cheering.

across the stadium. But, when the team. then takes to the field, it's like a. home game. >> [music]. >> What we are seeing in real time is a. mashup of nationalism, of identity, of. patriotism, of a sense of people trying to work out. who they are, what they want, and what their future. holds all around this international.

soccer tournament. >> Well, Tariq, thank you so much for being. here. >> Nice to be with you again. >> [music]. [music]. >> We'll be right back. As we said before the break, the team in. arguably the most complicated place in. this World Cup is Iran.

The team is playing in a host country. that's in open conflict with theirs, and. now the whole world's watching as this. fragile ceasefire gets tested again and. again. One of our show's producers, [music]. Anna Foley, spent time with a couple of. lifelong fans of the Iranian team just. hours before Iran played their first. game. They talked about what all this is like. this year, and the complex business of. sorting out national pride and fandom in.

the middle of war. >> [music]. >> Is there anything you miss from Iran? >> Of course. >> [music]. >> This is Farhad. Tell me. >> Okay. Um. People. the smell of. land. people very hospitable. kind, caring, full of. love. I've been a third of my life over.

there and two third here. Believe it or not, I remember the first. one third. >> Mhm. >> To me here, time flies extremely fast. It's just like. >> Farhad came to the US from Iran 47 years. ago. Back then, he'd been trying to get a. visa for years. >> For 5 years I tried, nothing happened. >> But nothing seemed to work. This was right before the Iranian. Revolution. A lot of other people were. trying to get visas around the same.

time. One day, he showed up at the embassy. >> The whole street completely filled with. people. >> There were thousands of people there. Chances seemed slim he was going to be. able to get his paperwork. But then he. heard a man call his name. >> And I was sort of surprised. No. microphone, no speaker, nothing. He just. yelled it and I happened to be right. there. So he handed me my passport and I. didn't even know what that meant. I said, "Can you tell me what this is?". with broken English, of course. And he.

said, "You got visa." I said, "Wait, so. I can go to United States?" He said, "Yes, of course." So I was really, really shocked. Really, really shocked. >> Very lucky. [music] Yeah. >> No. How this thing happened, I took it. as a. honestly [music] as a act of God. >> Mhm. >> I could not logically reason it how. [music] this thing worked out. >> Farhad says he's replayed that moment. every day he's lived in America.

Which it's been a while. He got here in. 1979, settled down in Ohio, got married, had kids. >> I'm a. lifelong soccer fan, World Cup fan, and. >> One of whom is Kevin. >> So, we had this videotape. It was like. the 50 greatest World Cup goals, and. >> Kevin's lifelong obsession with soccer. started at home with his dad. >> [music]. >> and an old VHS tape of World Cup goals. >> That's how I discovered World Cup and. goals and nations.

>> Kevin couldn't get enough. One VHS tape turned into boxes of taped. games in the living room. Soon, Kevin was playing soccer in a. neighborhood league, and Farhad was. taking him to meet American players. >> Oh, Brad Friedel, Brian McBride, Thomas. Dooley. >> [music]. >> Kevin became a real student of the game. >> continued in the second half. Like, the. US I think hit the post like four times. in that game. >> Even now, he can recite what happened in. one of his favorite games from when he. was 11. >> obsessed with these. I've rewatched all. the old US games. >> Kevin has tremendous amount of.

knowledge. I can't He's like an. encyclopedia [music] of soccer, honestly. >> Why did you love soccer so much? What. drew you in, do you think? >> I think a big part of it is. the connection with my family, the fact. that my dad loved it. It's It's one of. the major ways that I. have been able to connect with my past. and my heritage, my Iranian side, in. particular. >> This is all, of course, a classic.

Father and son watch a sport, feel. closer. It's how they show they love one. another. They live in the same apartment complex. these days. [music]. Kevin told me a typical night for them. is he'll go over to his dad's, they'll. cook some Persian food, and turn on a. game. And Iranian soccer has always been. a part of their bond. Back in 1998, when Kevin was 11, the. Iranian national team was good. >> [music]. >> It looked like they stood a chance to. qualify for the World Cup. So, Kevin and Farhad started following. the team, >> [music]. >> cutting out articles in the paper about. their games. >> And so, then I think I Me and my mom and.

my sister came home from somewhere and. my dad said, "I have the biggest soccer. news for you." And [music]. I think it took me two guesses, but I. realized it was that Iran had qualified. for the World Cup. So, that's a moment. that I'll always remember. And then. >> Iran actually played the US in that. World Cup, the first time ever. And for Kaveh, it was the first time his. two identities were pitted against each. other. >> [music]. >> in the sport he loved. >> We went to you know this restaurant. there was a lot of US fans. >> [music]. >> And then it's like our little table. where the Iranian section and then the.

rest is like USA, but I also I'm. cheering for both teams. So, [music]. yeah, those are always sort of. interesting situations where like you. have two teams that you you really like. and they're coming up against each. other. >> Iran [music] won that game two to one. What did Iran's victory back then feel. like for you? Like was it complicated to. watch Iran win over the US? >> No, it was at least for my. self-satisfaction. >> [music].

>> that Iran came positive. Not that I. wanted US to lose or anything, but I was. happy after so many negative things in. media regarding Iran and so forth, at. least it shows. yes, they can make effort, they can move. up, they can be proud of themselves in the. international level. I never can turn my. back to. where I was raised and so forth. That is.

part of my. nature. >> The US and Iran wouldn't meet again on. the World Cup pitch for more than 20. years, in 2022, in Qatar. At that point, Kaveh and Farhad had. moved to Southern California, the other. side of the planet. >> [snorts]. >> But the opportunity to see their two. favorite teams square off, it was just. too good to pass up. >> So, I got some US tickets for myself, but I was like, I can't. not go to the USA-Iran game without my.

dad, you know? >> What started as Kevin's plans to take. his dad to one game ballooned into an. epic father-son Middle East trip. Farhad. was in charge of logistics. >> So, this is our flight pattern, and this. is all the games that we have. >> me the maps of all the stadiums. >> I made two copies just in case we lose. one. >> Train times, like how long to get there. >> Yeah, my dad is legendary with his notes. and his charts and all that. >> He ran the itinerary with precision and. rigor. But, Kevin was the one who had the idea.

to start off their trip with his dad's. lifelong dream. >> [music]. >> to go to Mecca. >> When Kevin said it, it just touched my. heart. To me, that has a highest value. Nothing. can beat that. We basically started our. FIFA tournament in a spiritual way. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, >> Yeah, I was going to say it's like a. nice symmetry, you know, you have a. religious pilgrimage and a sports. pilgrimage. >> Yeah, exactly. >> [laughter]. >> And when it came to the US versus Iran.

game, here they were again. Two teams that they could cheer for, one. game. How to choose? >> [music]. >> There was definitely like a little bit. of a a tension about it. >> It was nothing like Kevin's experience. in 1998 in that little Ohio restaurant. >> And you hear the Iranian fans like. jeering and stuff and whistling at maybe. if the US did something or whatever. >> This game was louder. and full of people who were born and. raised in Iran who never even had to. question which team to cheer for or how.

to cheer for both. >> I've always been Iranian-American, uh. even though. it's not every day that they come up and. play each other in in soccer, but. there's been like sporting rivalries or. political things between the two. countries. It's It's just It's always. been that way my whole life. Like, I. can't even imagine not having that. >> [music]. >> Of course, this year, this World Cup, with the Iranian team playing in the US, it is a different kind of complicated.

There's an actual war. There's fallout. around the world. There's nationalistic. rhetoric and threats. [music]. And amid all of that, the Iranian team. was scheduled to play World Cup games in. Los Angeles, basically in Farhad and. Kevin's backyard. >> [music]. >> There's two like kind of conflicts in. me, which one is like obviously the the. war is going on, but then it's like I. really want Iran to be in the World Cup. Are they going to be able to travel? Are. they going to be allowed to come into. the US? You know, especially because um. you know, Trump had made comments which.

were kind of conflicting each other of. just like, yeah, they can come, but I. can't guarantee their safety or. something like that. Like that was. troublesome to to hear that sort of. thing. >> Kevin doesn't want the games Iran plays. to become political, but he's also not. naive. When he sees the players on the pitch, he knows that he's seeing them right off. a plane. [music]. The US restricted visas for the Iranian. players, which forces them to stay in. Tijuana. At the start of the tournament, they were only allowed to be in the US.

for a day at a time. The war is imposing itself, whether. Kevin likes it or not. >> I love both Iran and the US. I mean, the. governments uh yeah. I love the people of of Iran, and I love. the people of the United States, and. that's what the countries are about. I'm. not really crazy about the governments. right now, either of them. I try to. block out. politics from when I want to feel. something good about these countries, I. think about the people. I think of the.

teams playing soccer on the World Cup. stage, and how these people are being. represented in that way, as opposed to. by whatever the governments are doing. >> It's interesting because I think the. World Cup it is often that like politics. and geopolitics seeps into it, you know, like Does it feel that way to you as. we're getting ready to go to this first. game? >> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, sports are. always politicized, especially the World. Cup. >> Mhm. >> You know, 1998, from the Iran.

perspective, that was highly politicized. because after Iran won, it became the. government's evidence or something like. we were in the right or something like. that. Like we we beat the US at this or. whatever. >> It It became like a a political message. >> Right. >> How will it feel to cheer for Iran. today? >> Um I mean, for me, I'm I'm going to be. really happy about it because I'd love. cheering for my background in general, but there's an added joy of the fact.

that. Iran was able to send a team even though. the situation is going on. >> Yeah. Well, I guess I'm curious, I think. for some people cheering for Iran today, the Iranian team, could be cheering for the regime. I. guess I'm kind of curious how that hits. you and how you differentiate what. you're doing when you cheer for Iran. >> Yeah, uh I could definitely see that it. could be seen that way by some people. For me personally, it's more about the. the players and the Iranians as a.

people. So, that's kind of the. perspective I'm I'm going from. You. know, I'm going from from the a. perspective of an Iranian-American. specifically. So, I'm able to kind of. separate it in my mind a little bit, but. if we didn't have the contacts of what's. going on right now and it was just. Iran is in the World Cup, I get to see. Iran play in person, that would have me very excited already. to begin with because it's. >> [sighs]. >> you know, it's it's something that kind. of taps into my my heritage. Like these.

are some people who are like me and I. don't get to relate to them every day. cuz, you know, especially growing up, there weren't a lot of Iranians around. But now this. is a completely different situation. because of the war and everything going. on. There's kind of like this feeling like. you're standing over a ledge or. something. It's like there's this this. huge thing that's happening, but there's. a kind of element of unease and danger. and you don't really know. how things are going to be resolved.

>> Yeah. It feels like you both have such a. lovely relationship just to each other, but also to this game and to soccer. And. then there's this bigger geopolitical. context, this war that's kind of like. hanging all above it. Um. >> More is spicier. >> It's spicier. [laughter] It just It just. makes everything a little bit spicier. Is that what you're feeling? It turns It. turns up the heat is what you're saying. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I guess I'm I'm. How does it feel to sit in that spice, I. guess? >> Um. as I said, it's more challenging. We'll.

pass through it, hopefully. Sometimes, you know, you look at the. curve in math. You know, always goes down before it can. has to meet a minimum point before it. >> [music]. >> starts going up. >> So you're saying. there has to be a low point before. >> point. Exactly. Exactly. >> So what point of the curve are we at. right now? >> I think and I'm hoping this is as the. lowest it can go, not further than that. And as far as whether this [music] game.

now at versus politic was not involved, it is [music] more challenging, more. spicier, or whatever you want to call. it, but hopefully it will pass [music]. through all these things. >> Kevin and Farhad [music] left for the. first Iran game with 5 hours to spare. They were worried about traffic and. parking, and they didn't want to [music]. miss a second of the game. Farhad's a. planner, after all.

>> [cheering]. >> They had nice seats near one of the. corners of the field, where before the. game started, a huge Iranian flag was. unfurled. >> Please rise and pay homage to the. national anthem of the Islamic Republic. of Iran. >> And the country's national anthem. played. There were boos all throughout the. stadium. Some people turned around so. their backs faced the flag while the. anthem played. Others waved. pre-revolution flags in protest.

Farhad and Kevin just stood there, taking it all in. >> You know, so much of what we talked. about earlier today was, you know, like. feeling torn. Have any of those feelings. come up for you now that you're sitting. here? >> Uh there's a little bit just of the way. the crowd is going and the way that they. were booing like the anthem, but then. when the players come in and play, they. were cheering the players. So, there's a. little bit of that. >> Are you saying that you resonate with. both the boos and the cheers? Is that.

what you're saying? >> I mean, a little bit because I. understand. what what the every everything's. representing, you know? Cuz I think for. a lot of people, especially who are here. right now in this stadium, it's the. people who. Iran means something different to them. because it Iran means their childhood. and where they grew up before the. revolution. So, I think a lot of people. uh from are looking at it from that. perspective. So, they're cheering for. Iranians and for the Iranian players and. all that, but when the anthem comes on, then that represents a different part of.

Iran, you know? So. >> It's like you're kind of watching people. like draw lines in the sand in real. time. >> Yeah, exactly. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Iran tied that game. They actually tied all of their games in. the World Cup, >> [music]. >> and over the weekend, they were. officially eliminated from the. tournament. I talked to Farhad and Kevin on Sunday, and I asked them how they were feeling. Kevin was excited. His other team, the. US, [music] was doing well, and he's.

eager to watch them play in the next. round. Farhad was disappointed. >> [music]. >> He felt like politics and the. repercussions of the real world had. seeped into the game, >> [music]. >> and it all made it impossible for Iran. to succeed. Before the Iranian team left Los. Angeles, they wrote this note on a. whiteboard in the dressing room of the. stadium. It said, "From the ancient Persia of thousands of. years ago to the civilized Iran of. today, >> [music]. >> the spirit of Iran remains alive and.

steadfast. We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with. dignity. >> [music]. >> Thank you, Los Angeles, for your. hospitality. And thank you to every Iranian who gave. their heart, voice, [music] and soul for. Iran throughout these 180 minutes. May peace, respect, [music] and. friendship prevail among all nations.". I read it to Farhad and [music] asked. what he thought. He said, "They wrote what I feel.".

>> [music]. >> We'll be right back. >> [music]. >> Here's what else you need to know today. >> [music]. >> The US and Iran have agreed to stop. attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and. allow ships to move freely [music].

through it, according to a US official. Iran had yet to confirm that agreement. as of Sunday [music] night. Pausing the hostilities would bring calm. after a series of attacks in [music]. recent days. After accusing Iran of striking an oil. tanker in the strait on Saturday, the US. military carried out attacks on Iranian. air defense sites [music] and other. military infrastructure. Iranian forces retaliated on Sunday, saying they targeted a US naval base in.

Bahrain and an air base in Kuwait with. [music] drones and missiles. No. casualties were reported. And. more than 3 days after two earthquakes. devastated Venezuela, the death toll. rose to more than [music] 1,400 people. with thousands more injured as the. desperate efforts to rescue survivors. were stymied by chaos [music] and. delays. The government's response has. been complicated by a rush of civilian.

vehicles carrying relief supplies in La. Guaira, the most affected state in the. country, leaving aid workers stranded in. [music] traffic. There have been more than 430. aftershocks since the earthquakes on. Wednesday, prompting many in La Guaira. to sleep outside for fear [music]. that more buildings could fall. Today's episode was produced by Anna. Foley, Rochelle Banja, Eric Krupke, and. Diana Win. It was edited [music] by.

Brendan Klinkenberg and Ben Calhoun. Fact check by Susan Lee and contains. music by Elisabeth EeToe, Sophia. Landman, Marion Lozano, Pat McCusker, and Diane Wong. Our theme music is by Wondery. This. episode was engineered by Chris Wood. That's [music] it for The Daily. I'm. Natalie Kitroeff.

See you tomorrow. >> [music].