Azmoun’s Message to Iran After World Cup Snub Amid UAE Tensions

Azmoun left Out of Iran World Cup squad, responds to loyalty questions

Azmoun addresses his exclusion from Iran’s World Cup squad, reflects on past offers to switch nations, and comments on playing in the UAE during the Iran-UAE conflict.

  

“I’ll always be Iran’s son” day Azmoun as he shows support for World Cup team after missing out...

Striker Sardar Azmoun has shared an emotional message online, expressing his love for Iran and sending best wishes to the World Cup squad despite not making the roster.

Azmoun is Iran’s second-highest scorer ever, but he wasn’t included in coach Amir Ghalenoei’s preliminary squad announcement on Saturday.

IRNA, Iran’s state news agency, reported that Azmoun was dealing with an injury. However, media reports from March claimed he was removed from the national team after sharing a photo on social media of a meeting with Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Iran has launched drone and missile strikes on the UAE, where Azmoun plays club football. This came during the conflict that began after the US and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran.

Claims about his loyalty that appeared in Iranian media at the time clearly upset Azmoun, and he responded to them directly in his post on Wednesday.

“I want to speak from the bottom of my heart about some things that many people may not know, or about certain misunderstandings that may have led some to judge me too quickly,” the 31-year-old wrote.

“I have always played for my national team with pride. When we won, I was ⁠proud of myself and my teammates. When we didn't, I was more upset than anyone else in the world, just like them.

“I love football, and I love the good and deserving people of my country, Iran. People whose kindness and unwavering support have ‌always given me energy.”

Azmoun, who comes from Iran’s Turkmen ethnic minority, said that when he was a teenager he was offered a large amount of money to play for another country.

“My answer was this: 'I am a son of Iran, and I want to play for my people and make them happy',” he wrote.

“I promised myself that every time I played for Iran, I would give everything I had to bring joy to the people who follow football with love - especially the children in the most remote towns and villages who celebrate ‌our victories.

“No matter where I play football, my identity, my heart, and my pride are Iran.”

Azmoun ended his message by wishing the World Cup squad good luck at the tournament.

“I wish success and pride for the players, coaching staff, and especially Amir Khan, at the World Cup,” he wrote.

“Go out there and smash it, my friends, make the hearts of the people of Iran happy.”

🚨 Sardar Azmoun, Iran’s ‘9’, has been EXPELLED from the national team by government decision just three months before the World Cup. ❌🇮🇷

Days earlier, he met with the ruler of Dubai and vice president of the UAE, a country seen as an adversary of Iran.

He even shared photos… pic.twitter.com/dlwgwIVdA5

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) March 20, 2026

The Iran squad is currently holding a training camp in Turkey. From there, they’ll fly to their World Cup base in the United States during the first week of June.