Donald Trump tells Iran he doesn’t care if they play at the World Cup | Football

Donald Trump has branded Iran ‘a country running on fumes’ and doesn’t care if they participate in the summer’s World Cup.

Iran were one of the first nations to qualify for a tournament that is scheduled to start in less than 100 days’ time but their involvement is now under threat as a result of the US-Israeli strikes and subsequent retaliation as the regime clings to power.

In the wake of the initial wave of the attacks, Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj confirmed Team Melli, who are due to play three games in America against Egypt, Belgium and New Zealand, were far from guaranteed to take their place at what promises to be the biggest World Cup in history.

Taj said: ‘With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the World Cup, but the sports chiefs are the ones who must decide on that.’

With a military campaign still ongoing, Trump was asked whether it would concern him were a nation of Iran’s stature to pull out.

He told Politico, the American digital newspaper: ‘I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes.’

FIFA are continuing to monitor the situation after Iran were the only country absent from a planning summit for World Cup participants, held in Atalanta.

Mattias Grafstrom, the Fifa secretary-general, speaking at the International FA Board meeting near Cardiff, said on Saturday: ‘We had a meeting today and we will monitor developments around all issues around the world. Our focus is on a safe World Cup with all the teams participating.’

Who Could replace Iran at the World Cup?

Iraq are due to compete in a continental play-off against Bolivia or Suriname later this month with a place at the World Cup up for grabs.

At this stage, the most likely scenario, should Iran withdraw, would see Iraq take their place with the United Arab Emirates replacing them in the play-offs.

Iran’s women’s team, meanwhile, are currently competing at the Asia Cup in Australia and forward Sara Didar struggled to hold back tears when asked her about the escalating conflict in her country, as coach Marziyeh Jafari said her players were doing their best to focus on football, despite concern for their families back home.

The fighting erupted after the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran over the weekend, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, after which Iran launched missiles at countries on the Arabian Peninsula.

‘Obviously we’re all concerned and sad at what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran and our loved ones, but I really hope it’s very good for our country, to have good news ahead and I hope that my country would be strongly alive,’ 21-year-old Didar said on Wednesday.

Iran lost their opening Group A game to South Korea 3-0 on Monday and face hosts Australia on Thursday at the Gold Coast Stadium.

Australia midfielder Amy Sayer earlier praised the courage of the Iranian players for competing in the continental tournament despite their homeland facing political unrest and military strikes.

Coach Jafari said the Iranian team wanted to make their Iranian-Australian supporters proud.

‘We have so much concern regarding our families and the people in Iran,’ she said. ‘Nobody loves war … but here, we are coming to play football professionally and we do our best to concentrate on our football and match ahead.

‘Iranian-Australians here support us, we are so happy to have a country that all the people are united and supportive and we really love them also as well and we’ll do our best to make them proud.’

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