During the world cup many Iranians watched the matches in cafés, restaurants, shops or public screenings. After each match people flooded the streets to celebrate and show their support for the team; Iran achieved their best performance at a world cup. They finished third in their group with four points and overall in 18th place out of 32 squads.*

Iranian fans in Isfahan celebrating the performance of their team after the group stage. Photo credit: Mohammad Reza Jafari, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fans in Tehran celebrating the performance of their team after the group stage. Photo credit: IRNA. Iranian fans in Tehran celebrating the performance of their team after the group stage. Photo credit: IRNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Tehran. Photo credit: Reza Zangeneh, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match. Photo credit: Arya Jafari, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in a café in Tehran. Photo credit: Hamid Amlashi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in a restaurant, Tehran. Photo credit: Rouhollah Vahdati, ISNA. Iranian fans before the match on their way to Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: Amir Kholousi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: Amir Kholousi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: Amir Kholousi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: Amir Kholousi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Hemmat Khahi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Mehran Riazi, ISNA. Iranian girl wearing a Real Madrid jersey in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Mehran Riazi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Kish Island, Hormozgan. Photo credit: Ayoub Ghareri, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fans watching the match in Tehran. Photo credit: Reza Zangeneh, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: Mohammad Mohsenifar, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans watching the match in Hamedan. Photo credit: Mohammad Amin Najafi, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fan during half time in Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: IRNA. Iranian fans after the match at Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: Mohammad Mohsenifar, MEHR News Agency Iranian fans after the match at Azadi Stadium, Tehran. Photo credit: IRNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Hemmat Khahi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Hamedan. Photo credit: Mohammad Amin Najafi, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team at Tajrish Square in Tehran. Photo credit: Atiyeh Niknam, Tehran Picture Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team at Tajrish Square in Tehran. Photo credit: Atiyeh Niknam, Tehran Picture Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan. Photo credit: Ahmad Hasani, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fan celebrating the victory of her team in Rasht, Gilan. Photo credit: IRNA. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Behnam Tofighi, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Shayan Mehrabi, Tehran Picture Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Behnam Tofighi, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Shayan Mehrabi, Tehran Picture Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Behnam Tofighi, MEHR News Agency. Iranian kids celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Majid Asgaripour, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Majid Asgaripour, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Majid Asgaripour, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Abdolvahed Mirzazadeh, ISNA. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: BORNA. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Hemmat Khahi, ISNA. Iranian fans celebrating the victory of their team in Tehran. Photo credit: Rouhollah Vahdati, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Abbasabad, Hamedan. Photo credit: Behzad Alipour, FARS News Agency. Iranian fans watching the match in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Alireza Farahani, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fans watching the match in Ekbatan, Tehran. Photo credit: Majid Asgaripour, MEHR News Agency. Iranian fans watching the game in Rasht, Gilan. Photo credit: Mohammad Moheimany, MEHR News Agency. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani watching the match. Photo credit: IRNA. Iranian fans waiting for the match to start in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Nasim Aghaei, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fans watching the match in a restaurant in Tehran. Photo credit: Hemmat Khahi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Mehran Riazi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Charsou Cineplex, Tehran. Photo credit: Nasim Aghaei, Young Journalists Club. Iranian fans watching the match in Tehran. Photo credit: Ali Taghavi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Tehran. Photo credit: Ali Taghavi, ISNA. Iranian fans watching the match in Tehran. Photo credit: Ali Taghavi, ISNA. Iranian girl celebrating the victory of her team in Hamedan. Photo credit: Mohammad Amin Najafi, Young Journalists Club. Iranian girl celebrating the victory of her team in Tehran. Photo credit: Alireza Farahani, Young Journalists Club.

An own goal by Aziz Bouhaddouz (90+5′) allowed Iran to win their first match 1:0 against Morocco. Spain won the second match 1:0 (Diego Costa 54′) but the Europeans struggled to create chances against a very disciplined Iran that defended brilliantly, showed plenty of tactical cohesion and looked dangerous going forward. Saeid Ezatolahi had a goal disallowed for offside.

The third match against Portugal ended in a draw 1:1 (Quaresma 45′; penalty Karim Ansarifard 90+3′). Morteza Pouraliganji rose up to the challenge and kept Cristiano Ronaldo in check. In the second half, Ali Beiranvand managed to save Ronaldo’s penalty kick. Seconds before the final whistle, Iran went all out for the winner and a desperate Saman Ghoddos effort was deflected onto the path of Mehdi Taremi who found himself one-on-one with Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio. Taremi hit the wrong side of the netting, consigning his side to finishing third in their group. Iran needed all three points to advance to the knock-out stage.

In The Guardian, Paul Doyle rated Ali Beiravand’s overall performance with an 8 and chose the Iranian goalkeeper in his best eleven of the group stage.

*Note: In 1978, Iran finished in 14th place out of 16 participants on their first World Cup appearance.

Sources: Borna News Agency, Fars News Agency (FNA) 1, FNA 2, IRNA 1, IRNA 2, IRNA 3, IRNA 4, IRNA 5, IRNA 6, IRNA 7, ISNA 1, ISNA 2, ISNA 3, ISNA 4, ISNA 5, ISNA 6, Mehr News Agency (MNA) 1, MNA 2, MNA 3, MNA 4, MNA 5, MNA 6, MNA 7, MNA 8, MNA 9, Tasnim News Agency (TNA) 1, TNA 2, Tehran Picture Agency (TPA) 1, TPA 2, TPA 3, Young Journalists Club (YJC) 1, YJC 2, YJC 3, YJC 4, YJC 5, YJC 6, YJC 7, AFC, The Guardian (TG) 1, TG 2, Wikipedia 1, Wikipedia 2, Wikipedia 3