Beyond the Pitch: Iran's 1968 Asian Cup Final Victory Was More Than a Game

The 1968 Asian Cup was organized in a round-robin format, meaning the match between Iran and Israel was the final fixture, effectively acting as the tournament's de facto final. Iran entered the match needing only a draw to secure the title, having won their previous three games against Hong Kong, the Republic of China, and Burma. Israel, on the other hand, had suffered a loss to Burma and needed to win to have a chance at retaining their title.