Iran Players Hold School Bags to Honour Slain Girls Before Nigeria Friendly

Iran Players Hold School Bags to Honour Slain Girls Before Nigeria Friendly

Players of the Iranian national team staged an emotional tribute to schoolgirls killed in a recent airstrike, moments before their international friendly against Nigeria on Friday.

The match, played at the Mardan Titanic Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey, saw Iranian players walk onto the pitch holding school bags to symbolise the lives of children lost in the attack.

The gesture was in memory of more than 165 schoolgirls reportedly killed when a missile struck an elementary school in Hormozgan province on February 28, marking the first day of the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Authorities in Tehran said the strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school in Minab, leaving over 175 people, including pupils and teachers, dead. Iran has blamed a joint U.S.-Israeli attack, though investigations are ongoing to determine responsibility.

The incident has since escalated into a wider conflict that has claimed more than 2,000 lives and forced Iran to withdraw from the upcoming FIFA World Cup scheduled to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Despite the solemn pre-match moment, the game went ahead, with Nigeria’s Super Eagles securing a 2-1 victory.

Goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams ensured the win for Nigeria.

Nigeria will face Jordan in their next match on Tuesday, while Iran is set to take on Costa Rica.