Nasser Hejazi
Encyclopedia
Nasser Hejazi nicknamed "Ostureh" (The Legend); was an Iran
ian football player and coach who most notably played for Esteghlal Tehran.
Considered as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Iranian football
, he was capped 62 times for the Iran national football team
. In 2000, the Asian Football Confederation
ranked him the second best Asian goalkeeper of the 20th century.
He was goalkeeper of Iran national team in 1960s and 1970s and won the AFC Asian Cup
on two occasions in 1972 and 1976, and Asian Games
title once, and competed in the 1972 Munich Olympics and 1976 Montreal Olympics and 1978 FIFA World Cup
.
As a Manager, he won a Azadegan League and a Hazfi Cup
, as well as a runner-up place in AFC Champions League
.
, Iran
. His father, Ali Akbar had a realestate in Tehran. He was admitted to Allameh Tabatabai University
in 1977. He was later enrolled in Nader F.C. in 1964 and played for club until 1965. After that, he signed a contract with Taj Tehran and started his career in a professional club.
during the 1970s. Hejazi first broke into the Taj side when he was only 18 years old and won the Asian Club Championship in 1970; he also won the Iranian league in 1971
as well as 1975 and was positioned second in 1974. Further on, he won the Hazfi Cup
in 1977.
In summer 1977 he changed the club joining Shahbaz Tehran
, trying to win the Takht Jamshid Cup 1977–78 with his famous National team mates Gholam Hossein Mazloumi, Nasrollah Abdollahi
, Ebrahim Ghasempour
and Hamid Majd Teymouri. So it was a tremendous surprise, that Shahbaz could only reach the 11th place. In the following year Shahbaz was leading the ranking in the season 1978/79, when in autumn 1978 – due to the political uprisings, which ended with the Iranian Revolution
in February 1979 – the season was canceled.
After the 1978 FIFA World Cup
, Hejazi received an offer from Manchester United
. He trained and played with the club for a month, even appearing in a reserve match against Stoke City
. Manchester United manager Dave Sexton
wanted Hejazi to stay for another two or three months before officially signing a contract with him, but there was no-one at the IRFF at the time of the Islamic Revolution
to arrange the extension, which led to Manchester United signing Gary Bailey
instead.
Hejazi remained as Esteghlal's main goalkeeper until 1986. There he won the Tehran provincial league in 1983 and 1985 and the runners-up position in 1982.
His last station was the Bangladeshi club Mohammedan SC in Dhaka
, where he stayed for one year and could win his last league title.
, just in time to feature in the squad that won the Asian Cup
in 1968
and picked up two more in 1972
as the first choice and 1976
as the second choice goalkeeper.
He also represented Iran
at the 1972 Munich Olympics
and reached the quarterfinals of the Olympic Tournament in Montreal in 1976
. In 1974, he had a key role in Iran's victory in the final match (Bahram Mavadat and Mansour Rashidi had played the prior matches) of the football tournament of the Asian Games in Tehran
.
Hejazi's most valued tournament was the 1978 FIFA World Cup
in Argentina
, where he participated as Iran's starting goalkeeper.
He was the captain of the national team during the 1980 Asian Cup
and played his last match for Iran in the semi-final match versus Kuwait
. After the tournament, a member of Iran's Physical Education Department implemented a policy in which athletes older than 27 years of age would no longer be allowed to compete internationally. Hejazi was effectively forced to retire from international football back then, in spite of being only 29 years old at the time of implementation.
i football club Dhaka Mohammedan SC from 1987 to 1991. During his time Bangladeshi football was enlightened with the modern day technique of football and embraced top football coaching. The Bangladeshi football Federation rewarded him by making him national team coach in 1989.
During the 1990s, Hejazi was the manager of a number of football clubs including the Mohammedan SC, the Esteghlal (former Taj) and Esteghlal Ahvaz
. During his tenure with the Esteghlal, Hejazi could win the Iranian League in 1998, then took the club to the final
match of the Asian Champions League in 1999. They were beaten by the Jubilo Iwata
in Tehran
. During his years as a coach, Hejazi was the first to discover many talented Iran
ian football
players, including Rahman Rezaei
. In early August 2006 Hejazi announced he signed a one year contract as head coach of Azadegan League outfit Nassaji Mazandaran
. He resigned from the post in 19 January 2007. On 5 August 2007, He was appointed as head coach of Esteghlal
for a second time but he was sacked by club in 8 November 2007 because of bad results after 14 matches.
National Team
Manager
. He was rejected by the Guardian Council of the Constitution
of Islamic Republic of Iran because he doesn't have any political career before that few weeks prior to the election
. Later, he became a supporter of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the same election.
In 2009 presidential election
, he supported Mir-Hossein Mousavi
.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Government. In April 2011, he made a statement regarding the plan: "I'm very sorry for our people, they have oil, petroleum and ... but some of them are poor".
It is known that after this comment, he was unofficially banned from Iranian Television Network. This was later revoked due to his popularity and the perceived side effects that could have come from this decision.
, who both grew up to play soccer just like their father. Attila has been playing in Esteghlal F.C. Team B from 1997 to 2004 and Atoosa was the captain of Iran national women futsal team
. Atoosa is married to an Iranian soccer player Saeed Ramezani
who plays for Foolad F.C. in the Iran Pro League. They have a son named Amir Arsalan.
in late 2009. While trying to resume normal daily activities as a coach, his illness forced him to be hospitalised. Hejazi went into a coma
on 20 May 2011 as he was watching the match between Esteghlal
and PAS Hamedan soccer teams in the final week of the Iran Pro League. In 23 May 2011, after being unable to recover from a stroke, he died at 10:55 a.m. in Kasra Hospital in Tehran
. His funeral was held on 25 May 2011 in Azadi Stadium
in western Tehran and his body was buried in the Behesht-e Zahra
cemetery in southern Tehran on the same day as his final resting place. More than 20,000 people attended his funeral.
Hejazi's popularity went beyond Iran's borders as the iconic Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, expressed the club's sincere sympathy for Hejazi's illness in April 2010. In a message, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid homage to Hejazi and characterized him as a renowned and good-tempered Iranian football
figure who offered valuable services to national sport.
Mohammed Bin Hammam
, President of AFC
and Sepp Blatter
, President of FIFA
both sent their personal and associations' condolences to his family, the people of Iran and the Iranian football federation.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
, Mohammad Khatami, Ali Larijani
, Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, Carlos Queiroz
, Ali Parvin
, Parviz Mazloomi
, Ali Fathollahzadeh, Mansour Pourheidari
, Samad Marfavi
, Mansour Ebrahimzadeh
, Karim Bagheri
, Ali Karimi
, Farhad Majidi
, Amir Ghalenoi, Ali Kafashian
, Afshin Ghotbi
, Ali Reza Mansourian, Ali Daei
, Hassan Khomeini
, Mehran Modiri
, Jamshid Mashayekhi
and others also condolences to Hejazi's family.
ian and Asian goalkeeper of all time. Hejazi was a member of the all-conquering Iran National Team
of the 1960s and 1970s that won the Asian Cup
a record three times in a row and represented Iran
at two Summer Olympics
as well as 1978 FIFA World Cup
. After his death, It was proposed that a new stadium will be build in Tehran
and will be named to Nasser Hejazi.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian football player and coach who most notably played for Esteghlal Tehran.
Considered as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Iranian football
Football in Iran
Football in Iran is quite possibly the most popular sport, with only wrestling and volleyball being able to match its popularity. Football has been a part of life for Iranians for many decades now and is played in schools, alleys, streets and football clubs nationwide.-History of football in...
, he was capped 62 times for the Iran national football team
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
. In 2000, the Asian Football Confederation
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
ranked him the second best Asian goalkeeper of the 20th century.
He was goalkeeper of Iran national team in 1960s and 1970s and won the AFC Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
on two occasions in 1972 and 1976, and Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
title once, and competed in the 1972 Munich Olympics and 1976 Montreal Olympics and 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
.
As a Manager, he won a Azadegan League and a Hazfi Cup
Hazfi Cup
The Hazfi Cup is a knockout cup competition in Iranian football, run by the Iranian Football Federation. The competition wasn't regarded important by clubs until the IRIFF decided to award one of Iran's four AFC Champions League spots to the champion....
, as well as a runner-up place in AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
.
Early life
Hejazi was born on 19 December 1949 in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. His father, Ali Akbar had a realestate in Tehran. He was admitted to Allameh Tabatabai University
Allameh Tabatabai University
Allameh Tabatabai University , is a public university in Tehran, Iran, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sciences, Research and Technology...
in 1977. He was later enrolled in Nader F.C. in 1964 and played for club until 1965. After that, he signed a contract with Taj Tehran and started his career in a professional club.
Club career
Hejazi was the goalkeeper of the Taj F.C. and IranIran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
during the 1970s. Hejazi first broke into the Taj side when he was only 18 years old and won the Asian Club Championship in 1970; he also won the Iranian league in 1971
Local League 1970–71
- Group A :- Group B :-Semifinals :*awarded 3-0, abandoned at 1-1 in 80' when Perspolis walked off-Final:...
as well as 1975 and was positioned second in 1974. Further on, he won the Hazfi Cup
Hazfi Cup
The Hazfi Cup is a knockout cup competition in Iranian football, run by the Iranian Football Federation. The competition wasn't regarded important by clubs until the IRIFF decided to award one of Iran's four AFC Champions League spots to the champion....
in 1977.
In summer 1977 he changed the club joining Shahbaz Tehran
Shahin F.C.
Shahin Tehran Football Club was an Iranian football club based in Tehran, Iran that existed until the early 1990s. Shahin A.C. is located at Narmak, Golestan Street. They currently compete in the 2011–12 Iran Football's 3rd Division.-History:...
, trying to win the Takht Jamshid Cup 1977–78 with his famous National team mates Gholam Hossein Mazloumi, Nasrollah Abdollahi
Nasrollah Abdollahi
Nasrollah Abdollahi is an Iranian football coach and former player.-Club career:Abdollahi played for Guard F.C. before he changed to Taj F.C.. There he could win the Iranian league in 1971 as well as the second place in 1974.After playing for Rah Ahan F.C...
, Ebrahim Ghasempour
Ebrahim Ghasempour
Ebrahim Ghasempour is an Iranian football coach and retired player who currently managing Damash Gilan in Iran Pro League.-Early life:He was born on 11 September 1957 in Abadan, Iran and was began his playing career with playing in the youth team of Sanat Naft in 1972...
and Hamid Majd Teymouri. So it was a tremendous surprise, that Shahbaz could only reach the 11th place. In the following year Shahbaz was leading the ranking in the season 1978/79, when in autumn 1978 – due to the political uprisings, which ended with the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
in February 1979 – the season was canceled.
After the 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
, Hejazi received an offer from Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. He trained and played with the club for a month, even appearing in a reserve match against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. Manchester United manager Dave Sexton
Dave Sexton
David "Dave" Sexton OBE is an English former football manager and player.-Playing career:Son of former professional boxer Archie Sexton, he started his playing career with West Ham United in 1948. Playing mainly at inside-forward, he would finish his career with time at Luton Town, Leyton Orient,...
wanted Hejazi to stay for another two or three months before officially signing a contract with him, but there was no-one at the IRFF at the time of the Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
to arrange the extension, which led to Manchester United signing Gary Bailey
Gary Bailey
Gary Richard Bailey is a former footballer who made nearly 300 appearances in the Football League playing as a goalkeeper for Manchester United. He was capped twice for England....
instead.
Hejazi remained as Esteghlal's main goalkeeper until 1986. There he won the Tehran provincial league in 1983 and 1985 and the runners-up position in 1982.
His last station was the Bangladeshi club Mohammedan SC in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, where he stayed for one year and could win his last league title.
International career
Hejazi joined up with the Iran National TeamIran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
, just in time to feature in the squad that won the Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
in 1968
1968 AFC Asian Cup
The 1968 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Iran between May 10 and May 19. It was organized on a round robin basis, with the home team Iran winning with a perfect record of four wins.- Qualification :...
and picked up two more in 1972
1972 AFC Asian Cup
-Semi-finals:----- Third place play-off :-Final:-External links:**...
as the first choice and 1976
1976 AFC Asian Cup
-Group B:---------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Goalscorers:3 goals: Gholam Hossein Mazloumi Nasser Nouraei Fathi Kamel2 goals: Alireza Azizi Alireza Khorshidi Hassan Roshan...
as the second choice goalkeeper.
He also represented Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
at the 1972 Munich Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
and reached the quarterfinals of the Olympic Tournament in Montreal in 1976
Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Football competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Sherbrooke. Groups A, C and D had only three teams instead of four, as Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia national teams adhered to African-led boycott of the Games against the participation of New...
. In 1974, he had a key role in Iran's victory in the final match (Bahram Mavadat and Mansour Rashidi had played the prior matches) of the football tournament of the Asian Games in Tehran
Football at the 1974 Asian Games
Football at the 1974 Asian Games was held in Tehran, Iran from September 2 to 16 September 1974.-Medal table:-Medalists:- Group A :--------- Group B :--------------------- Group C :--------------------...
.
Hejazi's most valued tournament was the 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where he participated as Iran's starting goalkeeper.
He was the captain of the national team during the 1980 Asian Cup
1980 AFC Asian Cup
The 1980 AFC Asian Cup was the seventh edition of the Asian Nations Cup, the football championship of Asia . It was hosted by Kuwait between September 15 and 30. The field of ten teams was split into two groups of five. Kuwait won their first championship, beating Korea Republic in the final 3-0....
and played his last match for Iran in the semi-final match versus Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
. After the tournament, a member of Iran's Physical Education Department implemented a policy in which athletes older than 27 years of age would no longer be allowed to compete internationally. Hejazi was effectively forced to retire from international football back then, in spite of being only 29 years old at the time of implementation.
Managerial career
Hejazi coached BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i football club Dhaka Mohammedan SC from 1987 to 1991. During his time Bangladeshi football was enlightened with the modern day technique of football and embraced top football coaching. The Bangladeshi football Federation rewarded him by making him national team coach in 1989.
During the 1990s, Hejazi was the manager of a number of football clubs including the Mohammedan SC, the Esteghlal (former Taj) and Esteghlal Ahvaz
Esteghlal Ahvaz
Esteghlal Ahvaz Football Club is an Iranian football club based in Ahvaz, Iran.They currently compete in the 2011–12 Iran Football's 2nd Division.-Establishment:...
. During his tenure with the Esteghlal, Hejazi could win the Iranian League in 1998, then took the club to the final
Final (competition)
The final of a competition is the match or round in which the winner of the entire event is decided.In sports competitions following a knockout system, where only two individuals or teams compete in each match, the final is usually played between the winners of two semi-finals...
match of the Asian Champions League in 1999. They were beaten by the Jubilo Iwata
Júbilo Iwata
is a professional Japanese association football team currently playing in the J. League Division 1 . The team name Júbilo means 'joy' in Portuguese and Spanish. The team's home town is Iwata, Shizuoka prefecture and they play at Yamaha Stadium...
in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. During his years as a coach, Hejazi was the first to discover many talented Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
players, including Rahman Rezaei
Rahman Rezaei
Rahman Rezaei is an Iranian football player who currently plays for Paykan in the Iran Pro League. He is also a former member of the Iran national football team and usually plays in the centre back position.-Club career:...
. In early August 2006 Hejazi announced he signed a one year contract as head coach of Azadegan League outfit Nassaji Mazandaran
Nassaji Mazandaran
Nassaji Mazandaran is an Iranian football club based in Qa'em Shahr, Mazandaran, Iran. They are currently in the Azadegan League. The team sponsored by Iran Nassaji Mazandaran Co., one of the largest industries in Qa'em Shahr....
. He resigned from the post in 19 January 2007. On 5 August 2007, He was appointed as head coach of Esteghlal
Esteghlal
Esteghlal is an Arabic word means independence. the name held by many Iranian football clubs and Armenian football clubs. This includes:*Esteghlal F.C.— Iranian football club*Esteghlal Ahvaz F.C...
for a second time but he was sacked by club in 8 November 2007 because of bad results after 14 matches.
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/- | ||||
| Sepahan Sepahan Sepahan Esfahan is an Iranian football club based in Isfahan, Iran. They compete in Iran's top flight known as Persian Gulf League and hold most of the records in the PGL under their belt. Sepahan are the latest champions of the PGL in 2010–11 season for the record third time in the ten-year PGL... |
October 1992 | October 1993 | 17 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 29 | 9 | ||
| Esteghlal | February 1996 | December 1999 | 67 | 45 | 20 | 3 | 75 | 53 | ||
| Zob Ahan | December 1999 | December 2001 | 39 | 28 | 3 | 8 | 43 | 22 | ||
| Esteghlal | August 2007 | November 2007 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 25 | −6 | |
| Total | 137 | 88 | 34 | 16 | 166 | 109 | +57 | |||
Honours
Club- Asian Club ChampionshipAFC Champions LeagueThe AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
:
- Winner 1970 (Taj F.C.)
- Iranian Football LeagueIranian Football League-History:-Pre-1970s:Before the early 1970s Iran did not have an official national league. Most teams would participate in city championships. Taj1 and Persepolis2 had become the two most popular teams in the mid 60s and continue to be in the present...
:
- Iranian Football League
- Winner 1975 (Taj F.C.)
- runner-up 1974 (Taj F.C.)
- half season leader 1978/79 (Shahbaz F.C.) (the season was cancelled due to Iranian RevolutionIranian RevolutionThe Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
in 1979)- Hazfi CupHazfi CupThe Hazfi Cup is a knockout cup competition in Iranian football, run by the Iranian Football Federation. The competition wasn't regarded important by clubs until the IRIFF decided to award one of Iran's four AFC Champions League spots to the champion....
:
- Hazfi Cup
- Winner 1977 (Taj F.C.)
- Tehran provincial league:
- Winner 1971Local League 1970–71- Group A :- Group B :-Semifinals :*awarded 3-0, abandoned at 1-1 in 80' when Perspolis walked off-Final:...
(Taj F.C.), 1983 & 1985 (Esteghlal F.C.) - runner-up 1982 (Esteghlal F.C.)
- Bangladesh League:
- Winner 1986/87 (Mohammedan SCMohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka)Mohammedan Sporting Club is a major sporting club in Bangladesh. It is mainly located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, though there are many local branches throughout the country.-History:...
)
National Team
- FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
:
- Participant 19781978 FIFA World CupThe 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
- Olympic GamesFootball at the Summer OlympicsAssociation football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
:
- Olympic Games
- Participant 1972Football at the 1972 Summer OlympicsFinal results for the Football competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Augsburg, Ingolstadt, Nürnberg, Passau, and Regensburg.-Medalists:-Group A: ---- -----------------Group B: ---- ----------------...
- Quarterfinals 1976Football at the 1976 Summer OlympicsFinal results for the Football competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Sherbrooke. Groups A, C and D had only three teams instead of four, as Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia national teams adhered to African-led boycott of the Games against the participation of New...
- Asian CupAFC Asian CupThe AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
:
- Asian Cup
- Winner 19721972 AFC Asian Cup-Semi-finals:----- Third place play-off :-Final:-External links:**...
& 19761976 AFC Asian Cup-Group B:---------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Goalscorers:3 goals: Gholam Hossein Mazloumi Nasser Nouraei Fathi Kamel2 goals: Alireza Azizi Alireza Khorshidi Hassan Roshan...
- Asian GamesFootball at the Asian GamesMen's Association football is an Asian Games sport since the 1951 edition. Women's football competition began in 1990.Since the 2002 Asian Games, age limit for men teams is under-23 plus up to three over aged players for each squad, same as the age limit in football competitions at the Summer...
:
- Asian Games
- Winner 1974Football at the 1974 Asian GamesFootball at the 1974 Asian Games was held in Tehran, Iran from September 2 to 16 September 1974.-Medal table:-Medalists:- Group A :--------- Group B :--------------------- Group C :--------------------...
- participant 1970Football at the 1970 Asian GamesFootball at the 1970 Asian Games was held in Bangkok, Thailand from December 9 to December 20, 1970.-Group A:-Group B:-Group C:-Group Aa:-Group Bb:- Fifth place match :- Semifinal :- Bronze medal match :...
Manager
- Asian Club ChampionshipAFC Champions LeagueThe AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
:
- runner up 1998/1999 (Esteghlal F.C.)
- Iranian Football LeagueIranian Football League-History:-Pre-1970s:Before the early 1970s Iran did not have an official national league. Most teams would participate in city championships. Taj1 and Persepolis2 had become the two most popular teams in the mid 60s and continue to be in the present...
:
- Iranian Football League
- Winner 1997/1998 (Esteghlal F.C.)
- runner up 1998/1999 (Esteghlal F.C.)
- Hazfi CupHazfi CupThe Hazfi Cup is a knockout cup competition in Iranian football, run by the Iranian Football Federation. The competition wasn't regarded important by clubs until the IRIFF decided to award one of Iran's four AFC Champions League spots to the champion....
:
- Hazfi Cup
- runner up 1998/1999 (Esteghlal F.C.)
- runner up 2000/2001Hazfi Cup 2000–01- Leg 1 :- Leg 2 :...
(Zob Ahan F.C.)- Bangladesh League:
- Winner 1987/88 (Mohammedan SCMohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka)Mohammedan Sporting Club is a major sporting club in Bangladesh. It is mainly located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, though there are many local branches throughout the country.-History:...
) - Winner 1988/89 (Mohammedan SCMohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka)Mohammedan Sporting Club is a major sporting club in Bangladesh. It is mainly located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, though there are many local branches throughout the country.-History:...
)
Presidential candidacy
On 3 November 2004, Hejazi announced his nomination for 2005 presidential electionIranian presidential election, 2005
Iran's ninth presidential election took place in two rounds, the first on June 17, 2005, the run-off on June 24. Mohammad Khatami, the previous President of Iran, stepped down on August 2, 2005, after serving his maximum two consecutive four-year terms according to the Islamic Republic's constitution...
. He was rejected by the Guardian Council of the Constitution
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
of Islamic Republic of Iran because he doesn't have any political career before that few weeks prior to the election
Iranian presidential election, 2005
Iran's ninth presidential election took place in two rounds, the first on June 17, 2005, the run-off on June 24. Mohammad Khatami, the previous President of Iran, stepped down on August 2, 2005, after serving his maximum two consecutive four-year terms according to the Islamic Republic's constitution...
. Later, he became a supporter of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in the same election.
In 2009 presidential election
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
, he supported Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the seventy-ninth and last Prime Minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. He was a Reformist candidate for the 2009 presidential election and eventually the leader of the opposition in the post-election...
.
Opposition to Ahmadinejad
He was an opponent to the Economic reform plan of PresidentPresident of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Government. In April 2011, he made a statement regarding the plan: "I'm very sorry for our people, they have oil, petroleum and ... but some of them are poor".
It is known that after this comment, he was unofficially banned from Iranian Television Network. This was later revoked due to his popularity and the perceived side effects that could have come from this decision.
Personal life
Hejazi married Behnaz Shafie in 1973. He became father of two, one daughter, Atoosa and one son, AttilaAttila Hejazi
Attila Hejazi is an Iranian retired football player and coach. He is son of former Iranian football goalkepper and manager Nasser Hejazi.-Early life:...
, who both grew up to play soccer just like their father. Attila has been playing in Esteghlal F.C. Team B from 1997 to 2004 and Atoosa was the captain of Iran national women futsal team
Iran national futsal team
The Iran national futsal team represents Iran in international futsal competitions and is controlled by the Futsal Commission of the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation. The "Kings of Asian Futsal" have won almost all editions of Asian Futsal Championship and are the 6th strongest team in...
. Atoosa is married to an Iranian soccer player Saeed Ramezani
Saeed Ramezani
Saeid Ramezani is an Iranian football player who currently plays for Foolad of the Persian Gulf Cup.-Club career:Ramezani joined Foolad in 2008 after spending the previous three seasons at Esteghlal Ahvaz-Club Career Statistics:...
who plays for Foolad F.C. in the Iran Pro League. They have a son named Amir Arsalan.
Cancer struggle and death
Hejazi was diagnosed with aggressive lung cancerLung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in late 2009. While trying to resume normal daily activities as a coach, his illness forced him to be hospitalised. Hejazi went into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
on 20 May 2011 as he was watching the match between Esteghlal
Esteghlal
Esteghlal is an Arabic word means independence. the name held by many Iranian football clubs and Armenian football clubs. This includes:*Esteghlal F.C.— Iranian football club*Esteghlal Ahvaz F.C...
and PAS Hamedan soccer teams in the final week of the Iran Pro League. In 23 May 2011, after being unable to recover from a stroke, he died at 10:55 a.m. in Kasra Hospital in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
. His funeral was held on 25 May 2011 in Azadi Stadium
Azadi Stadium
The Azadi Stadium formerly Aryamehr Stadium is Iran's national stadium and the largest in the country. The Azadi stadium officially has a capacity of 100,000 people and was built to host the 1974 Asian Games...
in western Tehran and his body was buried in the Behesht-e Zahra
Behesht-e Zahra
Behesht-e Zahra , is the largest cemetery in Iran. Located in the southern part of metropolitan Tehran, it is connected to the city by a metro line. The cemetery has been one of the inspirations for the popular webcomic, Zahra's Paradise.-History:...
cemetery in southern Tehran on the same day as his final resting place. More than 20,000 people attended his funeral.
Hejazi's popularity went beyond Iran's borders as the iconic Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, expressed the club's sincere sympathy for Hejazi's illness in April 2010. In a message, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid homage to Hejazi and characterized him as a renowned and good-tempered Iranian football
Football in Iran
Football in Iran is quite possibly the most popular sport, with only wrestling and volleyball being able to match its popularity. Football has been a part of life for Iranians for many decades now and is played in schools, alleys, streets and football clubs nationwide.-History of football in...
figure who offered valuable services to national sport.
Mohammed Bin Hammam
Mohammed Bin Hammam
Mohamed bin Hammam is a Qatari who was formerly a football administrator and president of the Asian Football Confederation from 1 August 2002 to 14 June 2011, and a member of FIFA's 24-man executive committee from 1996 to 2011 for more than 15 years...
, President of AFC
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
and Sepp Blatter
Sepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
, President of FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
both sent their personal and associations' condolences to his family, the people of Iran and the Iranian football federation.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is an influential Iranian politician and writer, who was the fourth President of Iran. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts until his resignation in 2011...
, Mohammad Khatami, Ali Larijani
Ali Larijani
Ali Ardashir Larijani is an Iranian philosopher, politician and the chairman of the Iranian parliament. Larijani was the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from August 15, 2005 to October 20, 2007, appointed to the position by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,replacing Hassan Rowhani...
, Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal Queiroz ComIH is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. A former manager of Real Madrid, and Portugal national football team, he has also twice been Alex Ferguson's assistant manager at English club Manchester...
, Ali Parvin
Ali Parvin
Ali Parvin , born September 25, 1947 in Tehran) is a retired Iranian football player, coach and a current administrator. He is one of the most famous footballers ever to play in Iran, and is regarded as one of the best from Iran.-Club career:...
, Parviz Mazloomi
Parviz Mazloomi
Parviz Mazloomi is a former Iranian footballer and now manager. He currently coaches Esteghlal.-Early life:He was born on 16 September 1954 in Abadan, Iran...
, Ali Fathollahzadeh, Mansour Pourheidari
Mansour Pourheidari
Mansour Pourheidari is an Iranian football coach, manager, and former player.He led many league teams after 1979. He became Head Coach of Iran national football team in 1998 and led it until 2000. Pourheidari as of June 25, 2007 is on the Board of directors of Esteghlal F.C..- Coaching career...
, Samad Marfavi
Samad Marfavi
Abdolsamad Marfavi is an Iranian football coach, manager, and former player.-Club career:He played his whole player career for IPL giants Esteghlal.-International career:...
, Mansour Ebrahimzadeh
Mansour Ebrahimzadeh
Mansour Ebrahimzadeh is an Iranian retired football player and current coach. He is currently managing Zob Ahan in Iran Pro League. He was caretaker manager of Iran national football team from January to March 2008.-Early lfe:...
, Karim Bagheri
Karim Bagheri
Karim Bagheri is a retired professional Iranian player, most notably playing for Persepolis in the Iran Pro League. He was known as a two-footed midfielder and is famous for his powerful and thundering long range shots and free kicks.-Early years:...
, Ali Karimi
Ali Karimi
Mohammad Ali Karimi Pashaki better known as Ali Karimi, is an Iranian professional footballer who is currently playing for Persepolis in Iran Pro League. He was awarded the Asian Footballer of the Year in 2004....
, Farhad Majidi
Farhad Majidi
Farhad Majidi is an Iranian football striker who currently plays for Esteghlal in Iran's Premier Football League. He was also a member of Iran national football team.- Club career :...
, Amir Ghalenoi, Ali Kafashian
Ali Kafashian
Ali Kafashian is the current president of the Iranian Football Federation. He is also a retired athlete.Having served as Secretary General of Iran's National Olympic Committee, Kaffashian was elected in a race with no other contenders.-External links:*...
, Afshin Ghotbi
Afshin Ghotbi
Afshin Ghotbi is an Iranian-American football coach and current head coach of the Japanese side Shimizu S-Pulse in J-League.-Early life:Though his family were from Shiraz, Mr. Afshin Ghotbi was born in the country's capital Tehran...
, Ali Reza Mansourian, Ali Daei
Ali Daei
Ali Daei is an Iranian retired football player and former national team coach who currently manages a local Iranian team, Rah Ahan. He is a former captain of the Iran national football team, and is the world's all-time leading goalscorer in international matches...
, Hassan Khomeini
Hassan Khomeini
Seyyed Hassan Khomeini is a "mid-ranking" Iranian cleric. He is the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, and son of the late Hojat-Ol Eslam Ahmad Khomeini...
, Mehran Modiri
Mehran Modiri
Mehran Modiri in Tehran, Iran) is a prolific Iranian actor, television director and musician. His artistic career began in his teenage years as he was acting in local plays...
, Jamshid Mashayekhi
Jamshid Mashayekhi
Jamshid Mashayekhi is a celebrated Iranian actor and an iconic figure of Iranian cinema.-Career:Mashayekhi began professional acting on stage in 1957. His first feature film role was Brick and Mirror. After a four-year break, he acted in The Cow and Kaiser...
and others also condolences to Hejazi's family.
Legacy
Hejazi is considered by many to be the best IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian and Asian goalkeeper of all time. Hejazi was a member of the all-conquering Iran National Team
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
of the 1960s and 1970s that won the Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
a record three times in a row and represented Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
at two Summer Olympics
Football at the Summer Olympics
Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
as well as 1978 FIFA World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
. After his death, It was proposed that a new stadium will be build in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and will be named to Nasser Hejazi.