If I want to remember my passion for FIFA world cup I have to go back to 1998 play-off game between Iran and Australia in Melbourne.
Iran has a draw 1-1 in Tehran and need a win or at least a draw with more than 2 goals to go to World cup for the second time in his history after 20 years.
I remembered, on that time we went to school and in the afternoon we begging teachers to cut the class and go home to watch the game.
Iran was 1-2 behind and we believed there is another world cup miss for Iran.
but just 15 minutes to finish Karim Bagheri passed a ball by head to Ali Daei and he passed through the ball to Khodadad Azizi. There was no one in front of Khodadad except Mark Bosnich and dream came true.
Iran scored second goal and scored 3–3 on aggregate, with Iran progressing on away goals, and we go to 1998 France world cup for the second time in the history.
Every Iranian football fan remember this "Melbourne saga".
The real story happened in the World cup.
Iran played in Group F with Yugoslavia, the United States and Germany.
Be in a Group with USA, was so exciting. Iran vs USA was not only a football match but also drew much media attention due to decades-old political tension between the two countries.
Wining the game for Iran was equal to wining the world cup.
And finally yes! Iran won that match and achieved his first time win in the history of world cups by Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavi Kia goals.
It was the most memorial point of Iranian soccer history and for sure every and each person over 30 years old now can remember that golden memories.
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