Iran questions are born of respect

WHY always us, as Mario Balotelli didn’t say. Alireza Jahanbakhsh, captain of Iran, thinks the English media are asking about demonstrations in his country to destabilise the team before their meeting with England on Monday. It is a common theme. In 2014, uruguay believed interest in Luis Suarez biting Giorgio Chiellini stemmed from anger that his goal had knocked out England. Successive England managers would wish for such patriotism. Iran’s footballers, in fact their sports people generally, have nobly placed themselves at the forefront of protests concerning justice and rights reform for women and are admired here for their stance.

That is why Jahanbakhsh and his team-mates are asked questions, rather than some crude attempt to harm morale.

With all respect, England fans must hope Southgate’s players have it in them to overcome Iran without needing to recruit the fourth estate — most of whom also admired Suarez’s performances for uruguay, right until the moment he started licking his lips.