Think you can buy an Iranian National Team football shirt in Iran? Think again. Certainly not in Esfahan or surrounding areas anyway. Perhaps in Tehran? Who knows but every sports shop we went in almost laughed us out of their shop with derision for their team.

We gave up trying in the end as when we asked for an Iran shirt, the retailers were looking at us as if we had got two heads and with such a look of pity I couldn’t bear it any longer.

So, instead we settled on a yellow and black shirt for a local team Sepahan. Not great but at least it’s an Iranian team even though no one has ever heard of it back home!

What we could have bought instead were any number of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona and Brazil shirts with the player’s names on the back. Key rings, sweat bands, shorts and socks. World Cup footballs, Adidas shirts, Nike joggers anything except what we really wanted.

Never mind. Perhaps if their results pick up and the citizens of Iran support their home team instead of the highly merchandised and marketed popular European club teams  we might get a shirt next time.

Looking at their prospects however this appears unlikely so it’s off to E-Bay. Bet they’ve got one.