Iran coach Carlos Queiroz has asked Jurgen Klinsmann to resign from a FIFA expert panel after the former Germany forward accused the Iranians of playing skill in their World Cup win against Wales.
Klinsmann, a member of FIFA’s seven-member technical study group which is analyzing the World Cup in Qatar, took aim at Iran’s antics following their 2-0 Group B win against Wales on Friday.
The former United States coach said a string of nuisance fouls and the behavior of Iran’s coaching staff during the match were part of a deliberate strategy to make opponents “lose concentration”.
“This is no accident. This is all on purpose. That’s part of their culture, that’s how they interpret it,” Klinsmann said while working as a studio analyst for the BBC.
“They work the referee: you saw the bench always jump off and work the linesman and the fourth referee on the sidelines.
“Constantly in their ears, constantly in their faces on the pitch…that’s their culture.
“They make you lose focus, they make you lose focus and what’s really important to you.”
Klinsmann’s remarks prompted a furious response from Queiroz, who branded the German World Cup winner’s remarks a ‘shame on football’.
“While you don’t know me personally, you question my character with a typical biased judgment of superiority,” Queiroz wrote in a series of Twitter posts.
“No matter how much I respect what you’ve done on the pitch, those comments about Iranian culture, the Iranian national team and my players are a disgrace to football.”
“No one can damage our integrity if they are not at our level, of course,” added the veteran former Portugal coach.
Queiroz invited Klinsmann to visit the Iranian pitch at the World Cup to “hear how much they love and respect football” despite “outrageous” criticism.
However he said Klinsmann would only be welcome if he stepped down from his FIFA role.
“We just want to follow closely what FIFA’s decision will be regarding your position as a member of the Qatar 2022 technical study group,” he wrote.
“Because, of course, we expect you to resign before visiting our camp.”
Iran take on the United States in their last politically charged match in Group B on Tuesday, where a win would send them through to the round of 16.
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