Klinsmann, Queiroz in Heated Spat ahead of Iran-US Clash at World Cup

19 November 2022, Qatar, Doha: Former German footballer Jurgen Klinsmann speaks during the FIFA Technical Study Group presentation at the Main Media Center ahead of the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup. (dpa)
19 November 2022, Qatar, Doha: Former German footballer Jurgen Klinsmann speaks during the FIFA Technical Study Group presentation at the Main Media Center ahead of the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup. (dpa)
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Klinsmann, Queiroz in Heated Spat ahead of Iran-US Clash at World Cup

19 November 2022, Qatar, Doha: Former German footballer Jurgen Klinsmann speaks during the FIFA Technical Study Group presentation at the Main Media Center ahead of the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup. (dpa)
19 November 2022, Qatar, Doha: Former German footballer Jurgen Klinsmann speaks during the FIFA Technical Study Group presentation at the Main Media Center ahead of the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup. (dpa)

The Iranian football federation and national team coach Carlos Queiroz have angrily hit back at former Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann for saying that Iran's World Cup players use dirty tactics because it's in their “culture."

Both the federation and Queiroz on Sunday called for Klinsmann to resign from FIFA’s technical study group, while the Iranian federation said it demands an apology from the former Germany and United States national team coach. The federation asked FIFA for “immediate clarification” on the matter.

Klinsmann, who coached the United States from 2011-16 and led Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup, said Friday it's the Iranian players’ “culture” to play dirty and use tricks to turn the referee in their favor as he was commentating on Iran’s win over Wales for British broadcaster BBC.

Iran plays the United States in a decisive Group B match on Tuesday.

“That’s their way of doing it. And that’s why Carlos Queiroz, he fits really well (with) the Iranian national team,” said Klinsmann, who also disparaged players from Central America. “I worked for the US for six years. They went to Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica. This fits their culture.”

Queiroz, who is from Portugal, responded on Sunday, when he accused the former Germany forward of having "a typical prejudiced judgment of superiority.”

“Those remarks about Iran Culture, Iran National Team and my Players are a disgrace to Football,” Queiroz wrote on Twitter.

As a member of FIFA’s technical study group, Klinsmann is supposed to “provide cutting-edge analysis” of all the matches at the tournament “while increasing and developing understanding of the game across the world,” according to the governing body.

Klinsmann tried to row back on his comments on Sunday, telling BBC Breakfast they had been “taken out of context.”

“I have never criticized Carlos or his bench,” said Klinsmann, who had criticized Queiroz for failing to qualify for the World Cup with both Colombia and Egypt before he returned for his second stint as Iran coach.

"All I described was basically their emotional way of doing things which is actually admirable in a certain way."

Queiroz invited Klinsmann to visit Iran’s national team camp to see for himself how much the players “love and respect” soccer, but called on the German to resign from FIFA’s group because of his “outrageous remarks” first.

Klinsmann was invited by the Iranian federation, too.

“Being a German, it is promised that Mr. Klinsmann will not be judged for the most shameful episode of the World Cup History, the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ 82, when West Germany and Austria fixed a result,” the federation said. “As a former player, he will not be judged by his famous dramatic dives.”



War in Gaza ‘Hurts My Whole Body’, Says Man City Boss Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola talks during an exclusive interview with Reuters TV in Barcelona, June 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola talks during an exclusive interview with Reuters TV in Barcelona, June 4, 2025. (Reuters)
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War in Gaza ‘Hurts My Whole Body’, Says Man City Boss Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola talks during an exclusive interview with Reuters TV in Barcelona, June 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola talks during an exclusive interview with Reuters TV in Barcelona, June 4, 2025. (Reuters)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the war in Gaza "hurts my whole body" as he delivered an emotional speech while being honored by the University of Manchester.

Guardiola, 54, was speaking as he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester on Monday.

"It's so painful what we see in Gaza, it hurts my whole body," Guardiola said in excerpts of his speech shared on social media.

"Let me be clear, it's not about ideology. It's not about whether I'm right, or you're wrong. It's just about the love of life, about the care of your neighbor."

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza after the attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says at least 54,981 people, the majority civilians, have been killed in the territory since the start of the war. The UN considers these figures reliable.

"Maybe we think that we see the boys and girls of four years old being killed by the bomb or being killed at the hospital because it's not a hospital anymore, it's not our business," Guardiola.

"Yes, fine, we can think about that, it's not our business. But be careful. The next one will be ours. The next four or five-year-old kids will be ours.

"Sorry, but I see my kids, Maria, Marius and Valentina when I see every morning, since the nightmare started, the infants in Gaza, and I'm so scared."

Guardiola has not shied away from voicing political views in the past, throwing his weight behind the campaign for Catalan independence.

He was awarded the honorary degree by the University of Manchester for his unprecedented success at City, where he has won six Premier League titles, as well as his work through his family foundation, the Guardiola Sala Foundation.

The organization takes part in "established projects which strive to support the most disadvantaged".

Others within football have spoken out on Gaza.

In October 2023, Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah called on "world leaders to come together to "prevent further slaughter of innocent souls".

The following month Bundesliga club Mainz sacked Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi, now at Cardiff, over social media posts related to the conflict.