🔻Hossein Abdi, head coach of the under-23 team, stepped down after returning to Iran. The Iranian under-23 national football team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 Asian Games Nagoya after an unexpected 4-1 loss to North Korea, following a 3-1 win over the United Arab Emirates and a draw against China.

🔹Abdi, after accepting responsibility for the results, said at the airport about the reason for his resignation: “All the consequences are on my shoulders, and I apologize to each and every Iranian people. Before coming, we wanted to resign, but we didn’t leave the team alone. We weren’t able to do what we had to do, and for this reason I announce my resignation. I leave my hand open to the federation, the Ministry of Sport, and the National Olympic Committee.”

🔹Hossein Abdi had been replaced by Omid Ravanخواه; a coach who supported the National Revolution of Iranians at the sidelines of the Asian Cup, and after returning to Iran, he was detained and his passport was confiscated.

🔹The name Hossein Abdi has always come up in governmental activities outside the football pitch. Abdi and the youth team players took part in the 22 Bahman 1404 rally.

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