With the US men’s team booking their place in the Round of 16 after defeating Iran, how did the world’s media react to the USA’s World Cup victory against Iran? Let’s take a closer look.
The USMNT is now getting mainstream media attention, deservedly so. Coverage from the first page that was previously limited to small teasers below the page is now big news, brilliant, above the page. But of course, when it comes to sensational and truly funny news coverage, we still have to look across the pond to the UK.
American Coverage USA 1-0 Iran
A trifecta of New York newspapers delivered the best front pages in the country:
Even the heavyweight Wall Street Journal got in on the fun:
The Washington Post was one of many broadsheets to bring USMNT coverage to top-half-page prominence:
The Los Angeles Times headlines with a spectacular photo:
Remaining in Southern California, La Opinión had a simple “INSIDE!” message:
The Lawrence Journal-World of Kansas was one of many newspapers that featured bar celebrations:
Pints look great at the New Jersey pub featured on the cover of Bergen Record:
The Houston Chronicle offered the unique perspective of Iranian-American fans:
And finally, USA Today settled on a more frequently used nickname for Olympic teams:
Iranian coverage of the US-Iran match
The English-language Tehran Times had an understandably muted reaction to the match, with its sports section only offering a brief six-paragraph summary.
Iran’s Press TV kept it even shorter with its four-paragraph report. The same media outlet offered its own interpretation of how the pre-match press conference went:
The Islamic Republic News Agency, the official news outlet of the Islamic Republic of Iran, offered slightly more in-depth coverage of the match, including a story about Tim Weah’s moving show of respect for Iran’s players.
British coverage of the England-Wales match
Even in defeat, Welsh newspapers shine with their bold and inspiring front pages:
In the United States coverage of the England-Wales game, most newspapers are influenced by the laid-back style of the New York Times. Most newspapers even copy the name and source of the Times. What results is a sea of simple headlines like “America wins, advances”.
In England, fortunately, there is a tradition of having more fun with sports coverage: