US coach Gregg Berhalter, captain Tyler Adams grilled by Iranian journalists in surreal press conference

The last thing the Iranian press corps wanted to discuss was a soccer match.

In a surreal scene, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter and team captain Tyler Adams were quizzed on government relations Monday by Iranian journalists ahead of the US’ must-win match against Iran in the World Cup on Tuesday.

Berhalter was pressed as to “why he hasn’t asked US gov’t to remove a Naval ship from around Iran,” according to USA Today Sports’ Nancy Armour.

Berhalter was also asked about U.S. immigration policies, to which the 49-year-old head coach responded, “I don’t know enough about politics, I’m a soccer coach.”

Elsewhere in the tense session, Berhalter addressed the social media controversy that erupted over the weekend, when U.S. Soccer scrubbed the Islamic Republic emblem from Iran’s flag on posts to show support for protestors in the country. Berhalter said the players and staffers “had no idea about what U.S. Soccer put out” in regard to the posts, which were later deleted.

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