Steven Beitashour: born in America but proud to play for Iran

February 9th, 2016

Awake Goy

The Toronto FC defender is one of several dual nationals called up by Iran coach Carlos Queiroz. Could it spell a multinational future for Team Melli?

The first time Steven Beitashour arrived at the Iranian national team camp, he came with a foam roller clipped to his backpack. For Beitashour’s new team-mates – most of whom played professionally in Iran’s Persian Gulf Pro League – the foam roller symbolized the changes enacted under their Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz. All of those long sessions on the mat or in the hydrotherapy room suddenly made sense. This was how the rest of the world trained.

Beitashour’s arrival, however, signaled more than a trend towards professionalism in Iran’s ranks. An American of Iranian descent who has spent his entire professional career in Major League Soccer, Beitashour is one of several dual-national Iranian footballers who has been called up to Queiroz’s Iran since the former Real Madrid coach first took the job in 2011.