Episode Details

Hassan Nazari, Iran’s first World Cup player in 1978, reflects on how much has changed—both for the sport in America and for his homeland’s team this year. After decades in the U.S. and building Dallas’ soccer club, he sees how American interest has grown, yet Iran’s team faces unique political hurdles: staff barred from the U.S., base camp relocated to Mexico. These pressures weigh heavily on players and fans alike, who now distinguish between supporting athletes and the regime. In Dallas, fans rally behind the team’s resilience, hoping they’ll create new memories—just as Nazari cherished his own from that historic tournament. This episode reveals how deeply sports intertwine with global politics, and how athletes and fans alike endure under extraordinary stress.

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