Iran etched their name into World Cup history and produced a resolute defensive display as they battled to a goalless draw against Belgium in Group G of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday (local time).Iran’s starting XI set a remarkable record, becoming the oldest team to start a World Cup match since 1966 with an average age of 32 years and 181 days. The experienced side used that maturity to good effect, absorbing constant Belgian pressure and frustrating one of Europe’s best teams throughout the competition. Belgium came into the game looking to secure their first win of the tournament and controlled most of the possession from the start. Maxim De Cuyper had an early shot from distance that tested goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, but the Iranian stopper was up to the task.Iran almost caught Belgium by surprise midway through the first half when Mehdi Taremi hit the back of the net after a clever free kick. However, the celebrations were cut short as a VAR review showed that the striker was narrowly offside.The Belgians continued to push forward and created a series of openings before the break. However, Beiranvand remained unbeaten, making several important saves to ensure the score was level at the break.The big turnaround happened in the 66th minute when Belgium were reduced to 10 players. Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card after bringing down Taremi, who broke through after a defensive error and slotted through the goal. The sending off was the eighth red card shown at the 2026 World Cup.With the numerical advantage, Iran became increasingly bold in attack and introduced new options from the bench in an attempt to find a late winner. Despite the pressure and creating opportunities in the end, they were unable to make a breakthrough.Belgium’s attacking frustrations continued throughout the game. The European side finished with 23 clean sheets, their most in a World Cup match since 1994. According to Opta, Belgium have now attempted 69 shots in a World Cup final since a Belgian player last scored.The draw leaves Group G finely balanced after two rounds of matches. Iran is at the top of the standings with two points, while Belgium is in second place with the same number of points. New Zealand and Egypt are also very much in contention, both picking up one point each.
