It has become something of a talking point on the internet, with the Donald Trump memes in particular on the rise as Team Melli rack up the results here in America. It is the odd combination of what you see on the pitch and the irony of it all that is getting people to click and talk. Should they keep this up and make it to the latter stages, you can bet it will get even more attention.
Memes turn ‘unbeaten on US soil’ into a punchline
You have to give the fans credit for making it a running gag after the way Iran have been about their business in the States. They have made a point of pitting their form against the political subtext of doing well in the US.
You’ll see one post or another of a hypothetical Trump looking on as Iran pick up yet another point. Then there was the one about a video review team having it in for them over a close offside.
A disallowed goal and a red card shape Belgium stalemate
But the jokes don’t come out of nowhere. They put in a dogged performance to put the brakes on a very good Belgium side and hold them to 0-0. It was the most talked-about part of their campaign to date.
For a moment, Mehdi Taremi had one from a free-kick, but VAR had other ideas and called it offside. Then there was the matter of Nathan Ngoy; a botched backpass and he was shown the red, leaving Belgium to 10 men.
Results that reset Group G expectations
Put that with the 2-2 they put up with New Zealand – a game where you could see the street-smarts in play – and you have an unbeaten streak that nobody was calling before the first whistle.
To the supporters, it is more than the tally. It is the sense that they have put in the work to be taken seriously in Group G and no one is sure just how far they can go.
What you need to know if you are a fan or a rival:
– Unbeaten in the group so far
– 2-2 with New Zealand, 0-0 with the Belgians
– A spot in the knockouts is now a real possibility
The Mexico base and a grind few teams would accept
If you read between the lines of the reporting, you will find Iran have been working out of Mexico, not the US. With the way things stand between Iran, the US and Israel, it is a necessary complication for a tournament that is tough enough as it is.
They are used to the cross-border travel and the extra security. Amir Ghalenoei has been open about the months of hiccups leading up to this: no league, games called off, and what he put it as ‘war conditions’.
The players have just made do with it. You can see it in how they manage a game and stick with it, opponent be damned. That is why neutrals are watching and the meme machine is in overdrive.
What comes next for Team Melli
They have to face Egypt on June 27 in Seattle at 8:30 AM IST. The math is easy: a victory and you are through to the next round of the 2026 World Cup.
Egypt will be in good spirits after turning around a 3-1 against New Zealand. In Group G, the room for error is slim and it is the little things that will separate the sides.
Iran will be true to form: disciplined when they don’t have the ball, dangerous from set-pieces and not one to overreach. A clean sheet is nice for the story, but a goal is what you want right now.
Don’t expect the noise to die down. There is already a quip of Trump coming to terms with the fact he can’t stop Iran, and another that has them in their element on American turf. If they get the job done in Seattle, the rest of the world will be in on the joke and we will have a proper dark horse on our hands.
