이탈리아, 월드컵에서 이란을 대체하자는 '부끄러운' 제안 거부

Italian officials say they are not interested in replacing Iran at the FIFA World Cup, after the idea was raised by a Trump ally.

Italy has dismissed a suggestion that they could replace Iran at the FIFA World Cup, calling it "shameful".

The idea came via US special envoy for global partnerships Paolo Zampolli, a close ally of president Donald Trump.

The World Cup begins on June 12, with Iran's first match coming against New Zealand on June 16.

Italian sports officials say four-time champion Italy is not interested in replacing Iran at the upcoming World Cup following a suggestion to that effect by a Trump administration official.

Iran has not withdrawn from the World Cup, and the team is preparing to play in the US despite the war in the Middle East. FIFA has insisted its group stage games near Los Angeles and in Seattle will go ahead as planned in June.

The Financial Times reported that Paolo Zampolli, the US special envoy for global partnerships, had suggested the swap to US President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

In a phone interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Mr Zampolli emphasised that "my request is not a political request". The ask, which was made to Mr Trump and Infantino on Wednesday, was meant as a contingency plan in case Iran could not participate in the soccer tournament at the last minute.

"I had a dream," Mr Zampolli said. "My request was for the Italian people and the American-Italian people."

He said in The Financial Times interview that, with four titles, the Italian national team's appearance in the World Cup would be justified.

Italian officials pushed back hard at the suggestion, with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi saying on Thursday: "First of all, it's not possible. Secondly, it's not a good idea."

Luciano Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee, which oversees all sports in Italy, also dismissed the idea.

"I would feel offended," Mr Buonfiglio said. "You need to deserve to go to the World Cup."

Italy's Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the suggested swap "shameful".

Hours later, Mr Trump was asked at the White House about Iranian soccer players potentially not being allowed into the US for the World Cup. He initially joked, "I don't think about it too much," before adding: "That's an interesting question."

"Let me give that some thought," Mr Trump added.

He then deferred to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said: "Nothing from the US has told them they can't come."

"The problem with Iran would be, not their athletes. It would be some of the other people that they want to bring with them," Mr Rubio said, suggesting that Iran's soccer team could bring in people loyal to militant groups disguised as journalists and trainers.

"We may not be able to let them in," Mr Rubio said of people around the team. "But not the athletes themselves."

He added that there had been "speculation that Iran may decide not to come, but then Italy could fill their spot", without adding details.

"If they decide not to come on their own, it's because they decided not to come," the secretary of state said of Iranian athletes.

While Iran was among the first teams to qualify for the World Cup, Italy missed out for the third consecutive tournament, resulting in the resignations of its national team coach and soccer federation president.

Mr Zampolli has long been a part of the Trump family orbit, having introduced then-Melania Knauss to Mr Trump at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. He regularly posts on social media about his meetings with Infantino, calling him the "King of Soccer". Mr Trump last year appointed him as special representative for global partnerships.

In March, The New York Times reported that Mr Zampolli had reached out to a top official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, informing him that the mother of his child was in the country illegally as the two were locked in a custody dispute. She was ultimately deported.

The White House did not return a request for comment. Its World Cup task force, housed under the Department of Homeland Security, said it had no comment. FIFA also would not comment.

The Iranian embassy in Rome denounced Mr Zampolli's remarks in a comment on X.

"Football belongs to the people, not to politicians," the embassy said.

"Italy earned its soccer prowess on the field, not thanks to political manoeuvrers. The attempt to exclude Iran from the World Cup shows only the 'moral bankruptcy' of the United States, which fears even the presence of 11 young Iranians on the field of play."

Iran's status at the World Cup, which starts in June, has been a source of debate and concern since the US and Israel launched military attacks on the country in February.

Mr Trump in March discouraged Iran from participating in the tournament, citing safety concerns.

FIFA has consistently said Iran will stick to the World Cup schedule decided last December, and has refused to negotiate moving the team's games to co-host Mexico.

An Iranian government spokesperson said on Wednesday that the men's national team was preparing for "proud and successful participation" in its World Cup games in the US.

Iran earned one of eight guaranteed World Cup places allocated to the Asian Football Confederation. Should Iran pull out, in theory the replacement should be the United Arab Emirates, the highest-ranked Asian team that did not qualify.

One possible element of uncertainty is the language of the World Cup tournament rules.

FIFA wrote that it could decide to replace a withdrawn team "with another association", though without specifying the replacement must come from the same continental confederation.