From an Instagram post to a DNA test: how the German forward sensationally made it to the 2026 World Cup...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada, is already historic. Almost a quarter of all participants in the tournament were born outside the borders of the countries whose colors they defend. Of the 1,248 registered players, 288 footballers (23.07%) were eligible to play for their national teams by descent or naturalization. For example, in the Curacao national team, 25 out of 26 players were born outside the Caribbean island. However, no transfer or change of nationality at this tournament can match the incredible story of 29-year-old Iranian forward Dennis Darghahi. Dennis Eckert (now Dargahi) was born in Germany to a Spanish mother and played for the German U-19 national team. At club level, the 29-year-old striker is known for his appearances for Borussia Monchengladbach, Celta, Union Saint-Gilloise and Standard. His Iranian roots come from his paternal grandfather, but the world learned about it completely by accident - thanks to Instagram. The footballer's aunt, Anahita Dargahi, is one of Iran's most famous TV and film stars. It was her publication that changed the fate of the athlete. Anahita once posted a photo of me and my family wishing us a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year. So some people found out about it, and that's how my journey began... I think if she wasn't famous, no one would ever know that I'm Iranian. But I have Iranian blood in my body, and I can't hide it," said Dennis. The path to the national team was not limited to a simple change of sports citizenship. Under Iran's strict laws, citizenship is granted only to direct relatives of passport holders. Dennis's father (a German by passport) never issued Iranian documents, and his grandfather was no longer among the living. To prove their origin, the family had to go through a complicated process: Dennis's father went to Tehran to submit a DNA sample. This sample was compared with the DNA of his sister, actress Anahita Dargahi. The examination officially confirmed the family ties. The red tape lasted for a whole year and was successfully completed only in April 2026. Already in May, the forward received an Iranian passport, changed his last name to Dargah and received a long-awaited call-up to the national team at the last minute before the World Cup. The appearance of Dargahi in the national team list coincided with a loud scandal. The coaching staff excluded the main star of the team, striker Sardar Azmun, from the application. The reason was Azmoun's publication, where he shakes hands with members of the UAE royal family amid the geopolitical conflict between Iran, the United States and the Persian Gulf countries. The authorities saw this as an act of defiance, which automatically made way for Dennis to attack. Dargahi, who still does not speak Farsi, admits that he himself did not fully believe in the success of this adventure: I didn't think that would happen. Contact with the Iranian Football Association was periodically terminated. But I really wanted to play at the World Cup and test myself. Anahita helped me incredibly with the documents, she is a person with a big heart." The Iranian national team has already started at the 2026 World Cup. It is expected that Dennis Dargahi will be able to make his historic debut for the national team this Sunday in Los Angeles, in the crucial match of Group G against the national team of Belgium.