Ramin Rezaeian

Ramin Rezaeian equalised for Iran in the 14th minute of the 1-1 draw with Egypt in Seattle on 26 June 2026 — but the result was not enough to keep Iran in the tournament. They were eliminated on the best-third-place table, going out without losing a match . After the final whistle Rezaeian broke down in tears on the pitch, telling reporters: "People of Iran, forgive us." The goal was his third of the tournament, making him Iran's all-time leading scorer at World Cups — and the oldest Asian player ever to score at a FIFA World Cup.

Rezaeian plays as a right-back and attacking winger in the Persian Gulf Pro League with Esteghlal. He spent two years in Qatar with Al-Duhail (2020-22) before returning to Iran, representing Persepolis and Sepahan before his current club. Iran's 2026 campaign operated under extraordinary constraints: 14 support staff were denied US visas and the squad worked under a 24-hour arrival protocol imposed on no other nation . An earlier goalless draw with Belgium had kept Iran's qualification hopes alive before the final-game exit.

Rezaeian's three goals across the group stage — the joint-standout individual contribution in Iran's squad — could not overcome the wider structural difficulty of advancing from a competitive group under travel restrictions no other squad faced. He leaves the tournament as his country's most prolific World Cup scorer.