Iran thought they had produced one of the moments of the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Mehdi Taremi finished off a sensational team move against Belgium during their clash in the United States. The striker's composed finish sparked wild celebrations after a brilliantly disguised pass unlocked the Belgian defence. But the celebrations were short-lived as VAR intervened, leading to a dramatic twist.
The move began with a moment of ingenuity from Hajisafi, who shaped to curl a shot before instead slipping a perfectly disguised pass around the wall and into the heart of Belgium's defence. The clever delivery caught the Belgian backline off guard and found Taremi in a dangerous position.
Taremi produced a sublime first touch before turning sharply and guiding a composed finish into the bottom corner, sending the Iran bench and supporters into celebration after what appeared to be a brilliantly worked goal.
However, the celebrations were put on hold as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) checked the build-up. After a review, the goal was disallowed for offside, with Taremi judged to have been ahead of the last defender when the pass was played.
The decision denied Iran a stunning opener and turned what looked like one of the best team goals of the tournament into a moment of frustration. The disallowed strike quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the match, with fans reacting to both the quality of the move and the razor-thin offside call.
