Carlos Caszely (Carlos Humberto Caszely Garrido) is a former Chilean footballer and a national hero in his country. Caszely did not gain the hero status only because of his heroics on the field or the 29 goals he scored for the Chilean national team in 48 matches. He is a hero to many Chileans because he spoke loudly and consistently against the dictatorship in his country. His feelings about the dictatorship were highlighted one day in June of 1974 when the dictator Augusto Pinochet beckoned the team for a send-off to Germany for the World Cup. When Pinochet approached him, Cazely refused to shake his hand! Cazely describes it as follows:
“A cold shiver went down my back from seeing this Hitler-like looking thing, with five guys behind him…When he started coming closer, I put my hand behind me and didn’t give it to him.”
The regime made Caszely pay the price by imprisoning and torturing his mother, but he went on to outlast Pinochet and play for the Chilean national team in the 1982 World Cup and through 1985.
Why am I talking about Carlos Caszely? Because we need at least one Carlos Caszely on the Iranian National team (Team Melli) tomorrow in the opening match against England. Someone who is not afraid to stand up for what is right. Someone who is not scared of standing up for the people of his country. Someone who is not hesitant about speaking against an Iranian regime that has oppressed its people for over four decades.