Lea Santilli

Reports from early 2026 document the deaths of several Iranian footballers, primarily during anti-government protests that began around late December 2025 and continued into January 2026. These incidents involved security forces using live ammunition. Notable Cases Mojtaba Tarshiz (or Torshiz): A former professional player for Tractor Tabriz (Iran Pro League). He and his wife were killed during protests in Qaemshahr, Mazandaran province, in January 2026. Reports indicate he was shot while shielding his wife. Rebin Moradi: A 17-year-old promising football talent, shot and killed in Parand near Tehran. Amir Mohammad Kouhkan: A futsal goalkeeper and coach, killed by direct gunfire during protests in Fars province (reported around January 3, 2026). Pedram Khalouei: A 15-year-old player in Sepahan’s development/youth system, shot in the heart during protests in Isfahan on January 9, 2026. Other reports mention additional footballers and athletes killed in the same wave of unrest, with estimates suggesting over twenty players affected in a short period. These events drew international attention, including criticism of FIFA's response from former Iranian national team figures. No widely reported killings of prominent Iranian national team players (such as Sardar Azmoun) appear in 2026 news; most incidents involved club-level, youth, or futsal players. Some footballers have also faced arrests, death sentences, or expulsion from teams for political reasons, but those are separate from confirmed killings. But the US is oppressing them? I would back any move to have FIFA regroup them to Mexico by the way. Entering the US and whining about it but not saying anything about other athletes killed in Iran only makes me wonder why they are let in the US at all

LO QUE NADIE QUIERE QUE SEPAS. ☑️ Irán le solicitó a la FIFA jugar sus partidos en México por sus problemas políticos con Estados Unidos, la FIFA se lo negó. ☑️ Estados Unidos les advirtió que NO podían garantizar su seguridad dentro de su territorio. ☑️ Estados Unidos le negó la VISA a varias personas de su staff. ☑️ Irán tuvo que instalarse y hospedarse en Tijuana. ☑️ Para su partido de debut volaron de Tijuana a Los Ángeles, y justo al terminar el partido, se fueron directo al aeropuerto para tomar su vuelo de regreso a México en donde pasaron horas en revisión migratoria. ¿La razón? Estados Unidos les negó hospedaje en su territorio. Es la selección que más difícil la está pasando en el mundial. Es increíble que sigan pasando estas cosas. Hoy Irán merece TODO nuestro respeto.

That we invented for our sport of baseball. I think we agree the wave was invented in America for the American sport of baseball. Now where we separate is I personally think we can use what we invented however we want but because you first saw it from Mexican fans you think you can tell us when to not use it

@lea_santilli @kendallrowanx no, the mexicans did, hence why we call it a mexican wave

Booing the hydration break, booing American celebs on screen, refusing Americans trying a Mexican wave, genuinely makes you proud to be English

@Its_Lunati @kendallrowanx We didnt introduce it to soccer/football

@lea_santilli @kendallrowanx nobody is dunking on you because of what its called. Its insulting to do the wave in a game. you only do it to signify the game is boring. if you try it in an entertaining game, fans will shut that shit down.

@Its_Lunati @kendallrowanx In baseball there is downtime between innings. The middle innings. That is where the wave originates.

@starsnstripesfc Jump Around by House of Pain. It gets everyone up

Hot take: #USMNT  fans don’t really need creative chants, we could just sing popular American songs and be very loud. Same outcome

Reports indicate that Iranian footballers (including at least one with professional club experience) were killed in early 2026 during protests, though no active senior men's national team member appears to have been directly affected based on available information. In January 2026, amid widespread protests in Iran (sometimes referred to as the 2026 Iran massacres or related to the 2025–2026 protests), multiple footballers and athletes were reported killed by regime forces. Key examples include: Mojtaba Tarshiz (also spelled Torshiz or similar), a former professional player for Tractor Tabriz (a prominent Iranian club), who was shot and killed during protests in Qaemshahr, along with his wife. He was described as a popular figure in Iranian football. Other incidents involved figures like Rebin Moradi (a 17-year-old football talent) and Amir Mohammad Kouhkan (a futsal goalkeeper and coach), killed by gunfire in protests. These events prompted criticism from former Iran national team captain Masoud Shojaei toward FIFA for its silence, and expressions of solidarity from then-captain Mehdi Taremi. Activists also called for FIFA to ban the Iranian team from the 2026 World Cup. Current senior men's national team members (as listed in recent 2026 World Cup rosters) do not appear to have been killed. The team has continued participating in the tournament, with reports focusing on geopolitical issues, tributes to other victims (e.g., children killed in strikes), and internal matters rather than losses to the active squad. But the US is oppressing them?

They are now calling people IRGC Agents and mouthpieces for supporting and loving Iran’s National Football Team. Meanwhile the team is showing love to everyone and trying to put politics aside for the love of the game and Iran. Shame on you honestly for attacking people who love a FOOTBALL TEAM. I have loved this team since I was a CHILD. When the world booed them and no one cared for them. I love Football, I love this team among many others and will cheer them on.

@jacksonhinkle My bet is they would whine still.

Just imagine them winning a US World Cup...

@GongR1ght Those stadiums were built for American Football cus its so awesome. Brady and Gronk are the true heros of Gillette or as you call it Boston stadium

the game is so boring that it has made me appreciate the American stadiums. once you look past the empty seats in a lot of matches and dead atmosphere, the stadiums in America are MAGNIFICENT. It’s just a shame that it’s mostly used for a sport no one outside the USA cares about (American football).

@LionelMedia The deep state hates sharks

Steven Spielberg is an operative for Deep State [SG] and uses movies to push talking points.

@marta_kowlaska @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx American hat Keep trying

@lea_santilli @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx

The US government allowing this is crazy. These people should play 100% in Mexico and not be given the opportunity to complain about America. They will only be louder as time goes. And complaining about the US for already agreed upon arrangements is very political. Stop with pretending they are just soccer players.

Oh, look the Iranian soccer team is crying about how they are being treated in America! Why don't you talk about how your government treated peaceful protesters in Tehran a few months ago, coward!

@marta_kowlaska @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx Again American president

@lea_santilli @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx

@marta_kowlaska @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx That is an American song(Justin Timberlake) Jeez can you find a gif that does not reference America

@lea_santilli @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx

@marta_kowlaska @SD_Better84 @kendallrowanx Please Btw thats an American actor in that gif before you take that too

@SD_Better84 @lea_santilli @kendallrowanx

@Its_Lunati @kendallrowanx Ok man , I dont care what you call it. But I'm here to tell you trying to dunk on Amercans that are doing the wave (which we invented) because someone decided to call it the Mexican wave is insulting

@lea_santilli @kendallrowanx thats just what its called man

@paramounttactcl Lionel is a fake. He will pretend to be intellectual until the narrative calls for gossip and smearing. Those American flags in his bio are fake too.

Look some shriveled up Candace simp showed up in my comments. I guess he’s hoping Candace will come change his extra small Depends. This you? 👇

@RealCandaceO Is that really why he is suing you? No other reason? Are you lying again?

This is your daily reminder that Brian Harpole is suing me for claiming this team was incompetent in their treatment of Charlie Kirk on September 10th.

@BatchStfc @kendallrowanx Mocking something you do is not the burn you think it is

@lea_santilli @kendallrowanx Like the Gulf of Mexico, or zucchini or "aluminum", or....or... Amazingly there are regional variations for the same thing.

@MJDDBRM @kendallrowanx Your welcome from America

@lea_santilli @kendallrowanx I LOVE a Mexican wave😂

@WilliamsD247 @kendallrowanx So no more mocking Americans calling it soccer then. People will take our things and call them what they want, we do the same

@lea_santilli @kendallrowanx Yes, that one.