Football World Cup: Iran coach Carlos Queiroz calls for Jürgen Klinsmann to resign from the Fifa group

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Jurgen Klinsmann in Qatar

Photo Credit: IMAGO/Nick Potts / IMAGO/PA Images

Iran's national coach Carlos Queiroz asked ex-national coach Jürgen Klinsmann on Twitter to resign from the Technical Study Group (TSG) of the world association Fifa.

As a TV expert at the BBC, Klinsmann had commented on the Iranian team's game, among other things he spoke of "underhanded tactics".

Klinsmann had also questioned the qualities of coach Queiroz.

He was heavily criticized for this on social media.

The statements were also received with outrage in the Iranian team.

On Saturday, Queiroz reacted via social media and criticized Klinsmann's choice of words - and he teased that he simply called him "Carlos", he would now address Klinsmann as "Jürgen": "It doesn't matter how much I can respect what you do on the field, these statements about Iranian culture, the Iranian national team and my players are a disgrace to football," wrote the Portuguese coach.

He is curious to see what consequences this will have for Klinsmann's work for Fifa, because he expects Klinsmann's resignation.

The former world-class striker Klinsmann, world champion in 1990, is always welcome in Iran's quarters - if he gives up his post in TSG, Queiroz continued.

»We promise that we will not make any judgments about your culture, roots and background.

We promise that you are always welcome in our family«.

Association teases in the direction of Klinsmann

The Iranian association joined this demand on Sunday.

He demanded an apology from Klinsmann and asked FIFA for clarification.

The Iranian team invited him to their training camp for a lecture "about the thousand-year-old Persian culture and the values ​​​​of football and sport," the association said.

As a former footballer, Klinsmann is not judged by his "famous dramatic diver".

The Iranian team is also under internal pressure due to the protests at home and some actions that are interpreted as supporting the protest movement.

In the first game against England (2-6) the Iranian players didn't sing the national anthem, in the second game against Wales (2-0) they did, but some players only moved their lips minimally.

In the last group match, the Iranians meet arch-enemy USA on Tuesday, reaching the round of 16 is still possible.

ngo/dpa/sid