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A Socceroo has opened up on what it was like to be at the centre of some football’s most shocking and heartbreaking scenes this year.
Meanwhile, the Iranian team have arrived in Mexico as the deal with US visa issues and Arsenal’s captain saved the day in his nation’s final tune-up. MORE IN WORLD CUP DAILY!
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‘IT WAS HORRIBLE’: SOCCEROO REFLECTS ON FINAL DAY HEARTBREAK
Australia’s Cameron Devlin was at the heart of an almost football fairytale last month and the Socceroos has spoken on the cruel ending.
Devlin was a key cog in midfielder for Scottish Premiership side Hearts as they came agonisingly close to claiming a first league title since 1960.
The Edinburgh club travelled to Celtic Park on the final day needing a win or a draw to lift the trophy and become the first team in 41 years to break Celtic and Rangers’ stranglehold on the Scottish top flight.
A 3-1 loss followed with Celtic fans storming the pitch after the final goal went in during stoppage time.
The Hearts squad quickly got out of there, jumping on the bus without changing out of their playing kits and boots.
Devlin was one of several players snapped in tears when getting off the bus once they arrived back at their home of Tynecastle Park.
“It was horrible, to be honest,” Devlin told reporters at the Socceroos pre-World Cup training camp on Monday.
“I didn’t envision the last game of the season kind of going the way it did in terms of the result and with the scenes you all would have seen.
“That’s not what football is about. Obviously they won the game and they were the champions.
“But just the way it all happened, the last week with some of the decisions and stuff – it puts a bit of a sour taste on the ending to what was such a good season for such a special club.”
He added: “It’s just frustrating the way it finished, with all of the fans running on the field. None of the players got hurt, but it wasn’t nice and it never is.
“But at the end of the day, we didn’t quite get it over the line, which is something that will take a while.
“But I’m quite fortunate that I get to come in here and a World Cup’s a good thing to forget about things back at club.”
Hearts shattered as Celtic claims Prem | 01:24
Devlin made his first national team appearance under Tony Popovic when he came off the bench in the dying stages of Sunday morning’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland in the Socceroos’ final World Cup warm-up.
The 28-year-old, who celebrated his birthday in camp on Sunday, not only has the global tournament on his mind, however.
Devlin is out of contract this summer transfer window and has been linked with moves to the English Championship and Major League Soccer in the US in the Scottish media.
But he insists that deciding his next move at club level is not a distraction from his World Cup ambitions.
“It’s hard because obviously I know I’ve got a massive decision to make,” Devlin said.
“This (World Cup) is the pinnacle for any sportsman. So to be focusing on someone else at the moment is probably not the right thing to do.
“Obviously, it’s hard because my future, I’m not sure what’s happening at the moment.
“My coach at Hearts (Derek McInnes) – me and him have such a great relationship and we’re speaking regularly at the moment, which is really good, and Hearts is such an amazing place. I feel so at home there.
“So it’s something that I actually don’t know at the moment. And like I said, I’ve got a World Cup to focus on. So that’s my main priority at the moment.”
This is Devlin’s second World Cup campaign.
He did not get on the pitch in Qatar, but managed to secure a mighty prize from the Round of 16 clash with Argentina.
Devlin managed to secure Lionel Messi’s shirt and as a result he has already been the brunt of several jokes within the Australian camp about who is going to cozy up to next.
“Everyone kind of thinks that’s what I do because I got obviously the big one,” he laughed.
“But I like collecting memories for when I’m bit older and I’ve got kids and stuff and my dad loves all that stuff so I do that. I was just fortunate enough to get Messi’s but it depends what mood I’m in after the game. Hopefully we’ve won a few games and knocked a few people out and then I can maybe ask him!”
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Irankunda booked after Xhaka incident | 00:44
IRAN WELCOMED IN MEXICO
Iran’s national football team was greeted Sunday in Mexico by a small group of supporters eager to give them a warm start to the World Cup, despite visa problems facing some staffers.
“I’m very excited to see them,” said Sadegh Galavi as he watched the players’ bus leave the airport in Tijuana, cheered on by about a dozen fans.
Galavi, a mechanic and resident of this city on the US border, did not hesitate to get up at dawn to welcome the team when it landed at 5:00am.
“My national team is coming to my city, and being here is a small thing I can do just to welcome them,” the man in his thirties told AFP, proudly wearing the white jersey with green and red trim of the Iranian side, known as “Team Melli.” The gesture felt especially important because the tournament is beginning under difficult circumstances for Iran.
While the players obtained the visas necessary to enter the United States and play their group-stage matches in Los Angeles and Seattle, not all delegation members received them.
About 15 accompanying officials were denied visas, including Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj, who previously served in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated a terrorist group by Washington.
Socceroos draw with Switzerland | 01:56
– Unshakeable faith –
“It makes no sense to me,” Galavi complained. “Sport is supposed to be a symbol of peace, so when you mix politics and sports, it doesn’t work.” The visa controversy is the latest chapter in the drama surrounding Iran’s team at this unusual World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Since the first Israeli and American strikes against Iran in late February, the war has created repeated uncertainty over Team Melli’s participation.
Never before had a nation competing in the tournament been at war with one of the host countries, and Tehran long left open the question of whether its team would be allowed to play.
The insistence of FIFA ultimately prevailed. But two weeks ago, rising tensions prompted the Iranian federation to announce that the team would stay in Tijuana rather than in Tucson, Arizona, as originally planned.
With all these off-field developments, can the Iranians play their best football against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt and finally advance from the group stage — a feat they have never achieved?
Sina Moghadam has no doubts, and displays unwavering faith in his team. “Iran’s history goes back thousands of years. Things like this only make us stronger; they won’t destabilise the team,” boasted the Iranian-American, who had travelled from San Diego, just across the border in California.
Last-minute dagger hands Tillies defeat | 01:48
– Lack of ‘Fair Play’ –
Waving an enormous Iranian flag, the retired self-described “patriot” said he was hoping for a match between Iran and the United States in the knockout stage — a blockbuster encounter that would become the political spectacle of the tournament.
“I hope they’re going to kick the US team’s ass,” he laughed as the players’ bus disappeared from view.
Escorted by a large convoy of heavily-armed Mexican police and military personnel, the team arrived to find extensive security measures around its hotel as well as at the entrance to Estadio Caliente, where Iran is scheduled to train.
The security presence offered some reassurance to Hossein Nikyar, who had driven overnight from Los Angeles with his son to herald the team’s arrival.
“It’s safer for them to be here than in Los Angeles anyway, because many Iranians in LA are royalists who want to take down the government,” said the engineer in his forties.
Nikyar already has tickets to see Iran play in Los Angeles. But even before the tournament begins, he cannot hide his bitterness.
“FIFA claims that there’s no politics in the World Cup, and it’s all about the football fair play,” he sighed.
“But in fact, we see that it’s not true.”
Volpato speaks out after AUS switch | 01:27
GUNNERS SKIPPER SAVES THE DAY
Martin Odegaard scored a second-half equaliser as Norway came from behind to force a 1-1 draw with African giants Morocco in a World Cup warm-up match on Sunday.
Arsenal captain Odegaard swept in an emphatic finish from Oscar Bobb’s low cross on 75 minutes in Harrison, New Jersey, to cancel out Brahim Diaz’s early goal for Morocco.
Morocco made history four years ago by becoming the first team from Africa ever to reach the last four of a World Cup, eventually losing a tense semi-final to France.
The Atlas Lions are targeting another deep run at the 2026 World Cup, where they open their Group C campaign against Brazil next Saturday before further first round matches with Scotland and Haiti.
Against fellow World Cup qualifiers Norway on Sunday, the Moroccans suggested they could well be equipped to mount a deep run at the 2026 finals.
Diaz opened the scoring after just eight minutes, calmly gathering a cross after a superb run down the left flank by Abde Ezzalzouli before burying a low finish.
Norway, who started with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in attack, created little of note during the first half, with their best chance a glancing header from Alexander Sorloth that drifted wide.
Morocco continued to create the better openings, with Ezzalzouli going close to doubling the African champions’ lead in the 38th minute after volleying just over from Diaz’s pass.
Norway’s best chance of the half came on the stroke of halftime when Antonio Nusa’s shot from the left was clawed away by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Diaz almost bagged a second goal in the 57th minute but his shot was parried by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and Neil Al-Aynaoui’s header on the rebound flew over.
Instead it was Norway who grabbed a share of the spoils, with Odegaard lashing home Bobb’s cross 15 minutes from time to make it 1-1.
Norway kick off their tournament against Group I opponents Iraq on June 16 before taking on Senegal and France.
MAN UTD TARGET’S BRAZIL CALL-UP
The Brazilian football federation (CBF) announced on Sunday injured full-back Wesley will be replaced in the World Cup squad by midfielder Ederson.
Wesley suffered the injury in Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win over Egypt before leaving the field in tears.
Atalanta’s 26-year-old Ederson made the last of his three international appearances in March 2025.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation announces that the player Wesley was re-evaluated this Sunday by the medical staff of the Brazilian National Team and underwent imaging tests,” the CBF said.
“The MRI revealed a muscle injury in the adductor muscle of his left thigh. “In light of the diagnosis, the CBF announces the call-up of the player Ederson, who will join the squad this Monday in the United States,” the governing body added.
Five-time World Cup winners Brazil start their campaign on Saturday against Morocco before facing Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
