Portuguese coach Ricardo Sá Pinto is safely at the Portuguese embassy in Tehran, after a period in which he was uncontactable, in a context marked by political and social instability in Iran. The guarantee was left by him, this Wednesday, through a video released on social media.
In the images, recorded at around 8:30 pm local time, the technician described an apparently peaceful environment in the Iranian capital, despite the tense climate in the country. “Everything is apparently calm, with people on the street and cars circulating. Of course, we are apprehensive about understanding what is happening or could happen, but we are safe and have well-designed and prepared emergency plans,” he said.
Sá Pinto explained that he went to the Portuguese embassy because he did not have access to the internet or mobile network. “I am incommunicado”, he added, justifying the absence of contact in the last few hours.
The coach also thanked the support provided by Portugal’s charge d’affaires in Iran, André Oliveira, noting that he was accompanied by members of Esteghlal’s technical team. Staying in the country comes at a delicate moment, when the fear of a worsening of the conflict is once again present.
“I wouldn’t like to witness a war again, because it was already here at the beginning. Then it calmed down, but now it’s on the verge of [voltar]”, said the former Portuguese international, recalling his previous experience in the country. Throughout his career, Sá Pinto guided clubs such as Sporting and Sporting de Braga, as well as several teams abroad.
Despite the instability, football in Iran has not been interrupted. On Tuesday, Esteghlal beat Foolad Hormozgan, 2-0, in an Iranian Cup match, guaranteeing qualification for the quarter-finals of the competition, of which they are holders.
For the coach, the continuity of the official tests weighed on his decision to remain. “I felt obliged to stay, continue training my team and see if there are conditions. For me, it’s difficult to leave at this point. I hope everything can work out for the best. That’s my wish”, he stressed.
“There were players who had to leave because they weren’t comfortable, but there were also Iranian players who didn’t leave the city because they couldn’t leave their families”, said Sá Pinto.
Esteghlal plays again on Saturday, hosting Tractor, the Iranian champion, in the 16th round of the championship. The team occupies third place in the table, with 25 points, five behind isolated leader Sepahan.
Ricardo Sá Pinto, 53 years old, returned to the club in June 2025, after a first spell in 2022/23, a period in which he won the Super Cup.
Iran has been experiencing a new wave of protests since December 28, 2025, which began in Tehran and quickly spread to more than a hundred cities. The demonstrations emerged following strong inflation and the collapse of the rial, the Iranian currency, and growing repression.
According to the NGO Iran Human Rights, at least 3,428 protesters have been killed since the protests began, although the organizations warn that the real number could be higher, due to the lack of official data and the almost total internet blockage in the country. The situation remains volatile, with the international community closely monitoring developments.
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