Khaberni - Moroccan Munir El Haddadi, player of Esteghlal of Iran, has arrived in Spain after successfully leaving Iran in a risky journey described by those close to him as "insane".
El Haddadi (30 years old) received significant attention from the Spanish media, who welcomed him upon his arrival at Barajas Airport in Madrid, following his departure from Iran, which has been under joint Israeli-American attack since last Saturday.
Details of Munir El Haddadi's journey out of Iran
El Haddadi was stuck in Tehran after the cancellation of his scheduled flight due to an aerial attack, forcing him to travel by land for many hours.
El Haddadi told Spanish radio station Cadena SER: "We were about to take off when the flight attendant told us we had to get off the plane due to the suspension of flights, and shortly after a friend sent me a message telling me that Iran had just been attacked."
He added: "I felt some fear and concern about what my family might think, especially since I was without contact, but I sent them messages to reassure them that everything was fine."
El Haddadi described his feelings at that time: "We saw the missiles, and it was a terrifying sight. This is the first time I've been in such a situation, but now the anxiety is gone, I'm fine and I'm here."
El Haddadi mentioned that he knows nothing yet about a possible return to Iran, and currently, the only person they can communicate with, albeit limitedly, is the club's security officer, noting that he and the club have started meetings about two months ago in preparation for a scenario like this.
16 hours on land
Meanwhile, Spanish newspaper Marca revealed that El Haddadi had to travel 16 hours by land to Turkey after the closure of Iranian airspace.
Sources close to the player conveyed that his exit from Iran was like a cinematic film, especially since he was on board the plane before last-minute orders were issued to cancel the flight.
Upon his arrival in Turkey, El Haddadi posted a message on the "stories" feature on his official Instagram account, thanking everyone who inquired about him and revealing some of the moments he experienced.
El Haddadi wrote: "I would like to thank everyone for the messages I received and for your concern and interest in my situation in Iran. The intention was to leave the country by air, but eventually, we were evacuated from the plane and could not take off."
He added: "The club provided me with a car so I could leave the country by land, and thanks to that, I was able to cross the border without any problems. I am now safe in Turkey, and in the upcoming hours, I will arrive in Spain. Thank you all."
El Haddadi joined Esteghlal in September last year on a free transfer, and since then he has played in 29 matches across all competitions, contributing 9 goals (scoring 4 and providing 5 decisive assists).
Career of Munir El Haddadi
Before joining Esteghlal, El Haddadi had various experiences in the Spanish league after graduating from La Masia Academy affiliated with Barcelona, starting with the first team of the Catalan club in 2014.
El Haddadi was loaned from Barcelona to Valencia and then to Alaves, before moving permanently to Sevilla in 2019, where he spent three seasons, before moving to Getafe for one season.
In 2023, he joined Las Palmas for one season, then to Leganes for another season, deciding in 2025 to have his first experience outside Spanish fields when he joined Esteghlal of Iran.
