Iran footballer Mohammad Mohebi has spoken out after being accused of a controversial World Cup goal celebration after scoring against New Zealand on Monday.

Mohebi, who plies his trade with FC Rostov in the Russian Premier League, scored Iran’s second goal in a 2-2 draw with New Zealand at the Los Angeles Stadium in California.

Elijah Just scored twice for New Zealand, either side of half-time, but the All Whites were pegged back on both occasions.

There was controversy before kick-off, with protests taking place outside the stadium, and a mixed response to Iran’s national anthem comprised of boos, whistles and cheers.

FIFA’s World Cup rule was also defied after world football’s governing body had successfully won a case to ban flags with the pre-revolution ‘Lion and Sun’ emblem on. Many of these ‘banned’ flags were seen in and around the stadium.

Mohebi Goal Celebration Sparks Outrage

Lisi Niesner via Reuters

There was further controversy during the match after Mohebi scored Iran’s second equaliser of the night.

The 27-year-old has sparked outrage with a ‘gun’ celebration in which he was seen holding out two fingers, initially pointing them to the ground before waving them in the air. Watch the footage below:

Many fans have called on FIFA to examine the gesture more closely, per The Express, with the celebration coming under particular scrutiny due to the sensitivity surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament on US soil.

Amid the backlash, Mohebi has now spoken out to offer his version of events.

“First, I wanted to say thank you to all the Iranian fans that came to watch in Los Angeles. They made a great atmosphere in the game,” the Iran international said, per The Mirror.

Ramin Rezaeian Explains His Own Goal Celebration

Matthew Childs via Reuters

Mohebi’s teammate Ramin Rezaeian netted Iran’s first goal of the 2026 World Cup in the 32nd minute.

The 36-year-old, who pulled his shirt over his face, acknowledged that his own celebration carried a political message.

“It’s something political (his goal celebration),” he said. “I don’t want to talk about that. We are here to answer football questions. If there is a problem between us (the Iranian people), it is between us.”

Iran face Belgium in their second Group G fixture on June 21 before going head-to-head with Egypt five days later.

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has made a decision on the future of defender Destiny Udogie, according to TeamTalk, as he continues to be linked with a potential transfer away from the club.

It comes as the head coach oversees an important summer transfer window, where plenty of changes are expected across the whole Spurs squad.

Two signings have already been completed, while a third and fourth could follow, with talks ongoing for Jan Paul van Hecke and Savinho from Brighton and Manchester City respectively.

While the focus is understandably on the potential signings, there will be some huge exits on the cards, with doubts swirling over the future of Udogie.

While links persist over the left-back, De Zerbi has seemingly made a decision on Tottenham sanctioning a sale of the Italian.

Destiny Udogie Transfer Update

As Udogie continues to be linked with a move away from Tottenham, TeamTalk reports that head coach De Zerbi has made it clear that he doesn’t want to sell the 23-year-old this summer.

It’s claimed that Spurs have made it clear to suitors that they won’t entertain offers for the defender in the market, with Serie A clubs lining up to try and tempt the star across.

Both Juventus and Fiorentina have enquired about Udogie’s availability, with Tottenham standing firm on their belief that he will be a key player for De Zerbi in the future.

That’s not to suggest a move would be totally off the cards, with the report adding that an offer in the £50 million range would have to be placed to even tempt Spurs to reconsider their position, though even that may not be enough to force a deal.

With that in mind, Tottenham have already held internal discussions over an improved contract for the defender, to keep him for the long-term future.

Udogie’s Injury Battles

At his best, Udogie is one of Tottenham’s most dangerous outlets. The full-back transformed the team when he arrived under Ange Postecoglou, and he continues to show glimpses of that quality.

Thomas Frank called him “exceptional” during his time as manager, but there have been issues in getting the star player on the pitch regularly.

Over the past season, there have been five separate injuries for Udogie, which saw him miss 20 matches across all competitions as he looked to recover.

It shows that the main battle for him moving forward is to become fit enough to start more regularly, justifying Tottenham’s stance in keeping him.

With the signing of Andy Robertson, there is some extra reinforcement at left-back, which should give him the best chance possible of recovering.

It remains to be seen whether the campaign will be one for him to turn his fortunes around.

Liverpool are facing a battle to land one of their key transfer targets this summer, as Mundo Deportivo reports that Real Madrid are growing in confidence in their hopes of signing the defender instead.

It comes as the Reds continue to be linked with centre-back options in the transfer market, as the club hope to future proof the position in the coming weeks.

Ibrahima Konate’s exit as a free agent has thrown out a potential issue in the backline, with the 27-year-old failing to agree a deal and making the move to Real Madrid instead.

The arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, boosted by the return of Giovanni Leoni from injury, means that there are options to pair with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez in the backline.

However, as the latter pair only have one year remaining on their contracts, there may be concerns for next year and beyond, as links continue for another centre-back to join the club this summer.

Nico Schlotterbeck Transfer Latest

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Nico Schlotterbeck this summer, as the defender could be on the move in the transfer market.

It’s not the first time the Reds have shown interest in the Germany international, who could be available for roughly £50 million due to a release clause in his contract.

The deal signed at Borussia Dortmund includes the clause, but it can only be triggered by certain clubs, and it’s unclear whether Liverpool are one of those included.

One team who are certainly included are Real Madrid, as they have appeared as an option for the 26-year-old, who has been described as “elite” through his performances.

And even though Los Blancos are set to confirm Konate as a signing, the old foe are set to impact Liverpool further as the report from Mundo Deportivo claims that Schlotterbeck is a “strong contender” to be the club’s next signing.

Jose Mourinho, who also had his fair share of scrapes with Liverpool, is claimed to be keen on the centre-back and could deal a blow to the Reds in the process.

It remains to be seen whether the battle will heat up with concrete offers in the coming weeks, but Iraola’s side may need to start positioning themselves for a move to get a deal done quickly.

Liverpool Defender Priority

via Reuters

Liverpool have a balancing act that comes with their business in the summer transfer window, as they must weigh up the need to improve the squad for this coming season, as well as looking beyond the campaign to the future.

As it stands, the need for a defender is further down in the pecking order, with sufficient depth within the team for at least next season.

The forward ranks remain the most pressing concern, as talks continue to sign Yan Diomande for the right wing, while interest persists over other options up front.

Then attention could switch to the midfield, with interest in Alex Scott among other players such as Adam Wharton for the centre of the pitch.

Only once those areas are sorted should Liverpool look to fix the centre-back position, adding a long-term option to replace Van Dijk at the end of his deal, with the quality to do so almost immediately.

It remains to be seen whether that possibility will come about, given the funds required for stars such as Schlotterbeck, on top of the other signings.