Iran coach Carlos Queiroz vented his fury on Monday about players being dragged into a crisis at home, telling compatriots not to harass and politicize his team and to let it focus on its ongoing FIFA World Cup campaign.
Speaking after his side's 6-2 pummeling by England in their World Cup opener, Queiroz said his players, who have a high profile at home, had been criticized heavily and even threatened over issues that had nothing to do with soccer.
Team Melli has been in the spotlight in the run-up to the World Cup, with many Iranians seeking their public endorsement for one of the most sustained challenges to the legitimacy of Iran's clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
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