For two fans at the World Cup, football is a reminder that individuals are more than the countries they come from.

Political tensions have been high between the United States and Iran for more than half a century,

but to some fans gearing up to watch the 2 nations face off at the World Cup, the beautiful game rises above politics.

that there have been protests during games and elsewhere.

During the 1998 World Cup match Both teams posed for an improvised photo together on the field

an iconic moment and the Iranian players gave bouquets of white flowers to their opponents as a symbol of peace.

Vignesh Ram, 37, an American-Canadian, believes that football can be a unifying force and

is not focused on the political tensions between the two countries.