Iran drops two soccer stars from national team for playing against Israel’s Maccabi

Iran drops midfield duo Haji Safi and Masoud Shojaei from the national team after they play in a soccer match against Maccabi Tel Aviv for their Greek club Panionios last week, the Iranian sports ministry says.

Deputy Sports Minister Mohammad Reza Davarzani says they could no longer wear the national shirt after they played against the Israeli club in the Europa League third qualifying round second leg in Greece.

“Shojaei and Haji Safi have no place in Iran’s national football team any more because they crossed the country’s red line,” Davarzani tells state television. “They have a financial contract with a club to be paid and play for that team, but to play with the representative of a loathsome regime… this is not acceptable for Iranian people.”

The two players had refused to play in the away leg in Israel despite facing “pressure” and “financial fines” from their club, the sports ministry says. But they played in the second leg in Greece on August 4. Panionios lost 0-1 and 0-2 on aggregate.

— AFP