Iran announced its 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, and Sardar Azmoun, nicknamed the "Iranian Messi," was not on it.Coach Amir Ghalenoei had Azmoun dropped from Iran’s national soccer squad in March, and it was reportedly due to a social media post that angered Iranian authorities.Azmoun, a 31-year-old striker who is well known for his time playing for Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma, posted a photo alongside the Emir of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is a known U.S.ally and has shown support for President Donald Trump’s involvement in the war against Iran.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMSardar Azmoun of Iran reacts during the FIFA World Cup Asian second qualifier Group E match against Hong Kong at Hong Kong Stadium on June 6, 2024.
(Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)Azmoun, who has over 5.8 million followers on Instagram, quickly deleted the photo, but it was up long enough to anger authorities, and he was accused of "treason" and a "disloyal act."Azmoun won’t be joining those from his country, including fellow star striker Mehdi Taremi, who plays for Olympiacos in Greece.Taremi was among the nine players who have been a part of clubs overseas this year.FIFA CONFIRMS IRAN WILL PLAY ALL 2026 WORLD CUP GROUP-STAGE MATCHES ON US SOIL DESPITE TENSIONSIran is bringing 17 players who star for teams within the country, though they haven’t played since February because of the war in the Middle East.The team has been training in Antalya, Türkiye, but they will be heading for Tijuana, Mexico, on Friday to their base for the World Cup.There had been considerable speculation about whether Iran would participate in the World Cup or not, as the war created a potential conflict despite them qualifying for the tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed in April that Iran would still compete, though they had an issue with their group matches being played on U.S.soil.Sardar Azmoun of AS Ro...