In a routine press briefing , President Hassan Rouhani expressed his delight at Team Melli being among the elite in FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil and said that the team should display a  professional and brave style of football

Asked by a journalist about the government plan to support Team Melli , the President responded “The interest of our people in football is quite immense and that should lead to the development of professional standards. My message to the team was that we expect you to play a good football,  professionally and  valiantly. Of course we want the team to succeed and qualify for the next round. The team should play with high spirit and utilize the best techniques.”

“If Team Melli is successful in Brazil , we have good news for them!” The President has concluded.

The President remained non-committal towards any specific financial aid to football especially in the aftermath of the parliament’s critical views on money that is being siphoned from the public coffers towards football. However , it is interesting to note that President Rouhani is reflecting the views of the majority that expect Iran to qualify for the next round as our own polls indicate.