You can hardly find a Persian around the globe who doesn't have sympathy with Iran's national soccer team (AKA Team Melli); in fact Team Melli is a uniting factor for Iranians, regardless of their political attitude, wealth, ethnicity and language. When Team Melli after a breath taking match in Melbourne advanced to the World Cup 1998, people gathered on streets and danced for the whole night, defying the rules of the Islamic government. In fact the clerical government got surprised and for a single night they became powerless. The people gone wild again on the night of Iran's victory over the US in Lyon. In fact everybody was happy for the first ever victory of Iran in the world cup, but for the mullahs it was a victory over the great Stan! Mullahs only liked this celebration and to avoid an other party night, Team Melli was asked to play for draw, and not to win, against Germany at the last group match in 1998 world cup. Even the players have been asked to sack before the match!
Three years later, during 2002 world cup qualifier, people started celebrating after each victory, and of course mullahs were very furious about it. As the result the final group match against the underdog Bahrain was a great odd. The tiny island that once was a part of Iran beat the motherland with two goals difference. Isn't it a conspiracy? It had such a big impact that some players decided to not play for Team Melli again.
These days Asian Cup is undergoing in China. And this is interesting that 35 reporters from the US based Persian medias have joined 45 reporters from Iran. A big challenge between the US based Persians TVs and state run TV in Iran. However, today in Asian Nations' Cup, the potentially strong team of Iran, suffered a humiliating draw against Oman, but what made it really humiliating was the scene when two Iranian defenders started slapping each other. I believe it is not that simple. I think the Islamic authority in Iran have killed the team spirit in Team Melli to control the emotions of millions of people in Iran, who can now watch the games either on the state run TV or illegal satellite TVs broadcasted from Los Angeles.
The clerical government is ready to give up any national honor to take control of the people. In fact they do not have any sense of nationalism. They are from a different specie. They have their own specially language, which is consisted of Arabic words with Farsi grammar. They even talk in a strange accent which is something between Arabic and Farsi!