Rainy Sunday

I've actually needed to remain silent for one week, that's why I haven't posted anything since last Sunday. I have been through something significant and beautiful. It is perhaps too early to label this experience, so I'll wait.

My throat hurts and I am sick, but it's OK. This week went fast and my business courses finally begun. You can't miss your first lecture in a course here, because if you will, you lose your spot. Missing any random lecture throughout the whole course could mean a failed grade. New experiences all the time. Nevertheless: It is interesting and inspiring!

Sweden played Portugal last night at Råsunda and the game ended 0 - 0. I am proud because Sweden played well against a strong team like Portugal, but I wish we had won.



Iran is to play North Korea and one of our best players throughout history has now declared that he retires from his international football career. Ali Karimi will not be wearing the Iranian jersey. After more than 100 caps and some 40 goals he is throwing in the towel. I can understand him. He has been in the service of the national team for over a decade and the federation has not been run be proper people once during this period. He has been banned by his own federation several times for violations that don't exist anywhere else in the world. It's a huge blow for Iranian football to not be having Ali in the team anymore, but I hope that his retirement won't be in vain. I hope that people realize that this is the price we have to pay if the current kind of people are to runt one of the holiest and most appreciated assets of the Iranian people.


It's Sunday morning and I am looking forward to a rainy day consisting of studying and a walk along the Danube. I think I'll make that a routine from now on. Last week it was truly beautiful.

Esteghlal vs. Perspolis

A Tehran derby yesterday between Esteghlal and Perspolis. It ended with a draw after two goals from two former Team Melli regulars. Arash Borhani and Ali Karimi helped their teams respectively.

My last Sunday

This is my last Sunday in Sweden for a while. It feels awkward. I've never liked Sundays anyhow (see any random Sunday-dated post in the archive). The weekend is almost over but I am lucky not to be having any anxiety about an early Monday morning at work tomorrow.
The weekend has been nice. I spent yesterday afternoon at my uncle's. Today I went out for some shopping in Stockholm but I didn't manage to find anything (except for a lovely dark blue coat). But I'm not really in need of a dark blue coat right now.

Sweden played against Albania in Tirana in the WC2010 qualification campaign last night and the game ended with a draw. It's a tough group and I sincerely hope that this draw won't turn out to be crucial by the end of the campaign.


Iran tied against Saudi Arabia away in Riyadh last night. The final score was 1-1 and I guess it's a fair result, considering the fact that Saudi Arabia is one of Asia's powerhouses in football. I am not very optimistic about the outcome of Iran's qualification campaign for the World Cup finals in South Africa in a little less than 2 years. Unless players such as Javad Nekounam (the tireless midfielder from Spanish outfits Osasuna who scored the late equalizer last night), Masoud Shojaei (the new Ali Karimi, another creative and technically gifted midfielder who recently joined Osasuna too) and of course, the whole defensive line perform well.
Speaking of Iranian football, a bomb hit the Mid-East. Ali Karimi returns to Tehran to play for his old club Perspolis. He is reaching his thirties and will not improve anymore as a football player physically (perhaps tactically but honestly, that has never been a strength among Iranian footballers). He has already shown the world the talent he holds, but he has at the same time shown the world the lack of professional attitude in his personality, and therefor I don't see why he shouldn't come home. I mean sure, he would probably make more money in Qatar (where he has been playing since after the World Cup finals two years ago) or in the Emirates. But now that he's back in Iran, he can help the domestic football and inspire youngsters to try to reach the same heights as he once did with Bayern München.
One obvious difference now is that he won't have to play before 500 towel heads every week. A Tehran derby attracts some 100000 spectators to Azadi Stadium and was recently listed among the 50 most prestigious games in the world by World Soccer (El Clasíco, the Milan derby and several other big games were also listed there).

Thank you for reading.