As a child, Alireza Beiranvand herded sheep barefoot in the nomadic fields of Luristán, in southern Iran. His father, convinced that football was a waste of time, hid his gloves and even tore them up with his own hands. But he could not break what was already inside. 🧤
At 15, Beiranvand scraped together borrowed money, bought a bus ticket, and arrived alone in Teherán. No family, no roof over his head, no plan B. For weeks he slept beneath the Azadi goal alongside other migrants. By day he swept streets, sewed clothes in a workshop, and washed cars — at the very car wash where one day he saw Ali Daei, the legend of Iranian football, drive by. That day he knew he could make it too. ⚽
On June 21, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the world saw that same boy — now 33 years old — withstand a collision with Lukaku in the 5th minute, get back up, and make 7 saves to preserve Iran’s 0-0 draw against Belgium. The same goalkeeper who saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo in Russia 2018. The same one who holds the Guinness record for the longest throw-in in football: 61 meters. 🌍🔥