Ali Daei is a retired Iranian footballer who plays centre forward and used to be the captain of the Iran national football team. Since the latter of part of 2009, he has been the team manager of the Iranian team Persepolis F.C.
A native of Ardabil, Iran, Daei was born on born March 21, 1969. He first began playing football at the age of 14 in the local club, Esteghlal Ardabil. He played in the club from 1983 until 1988 when he turned professional. A year later, he transferred to Tehran’s minor league teams playing for Taxirani F.C. and Bank Tejarat.
1994 was the turning point in Daei’s career when he joined Persepolis F.C., one of Iran’s leading football teams. His 1996 Asian Cup performance was impressive that Arminia Bielefeld signed him up to play. He had a successful stint in the team that impressed Bayern Munich club president and legendary football player, Franz Beckenbauer. Daei accepted Beckenbauer’s offer of a 4 million Deutschemark contract to play for Bayern Munich, making it a record for any Asian that time and becoming the first Asian to play in a UEFA Champions League match. He moved to Hertha BSC in 1999 and became the best scorer in the 2000 Champions League with 3 goals.
| Height / weight | 189.0 m / |
| Born | 21 Mar 1969 |
| Nationality |
Iran
|
| Nickname | Shahriar |
| Team History | |
| Saipa F.C. | 2006 - 2007 |
| Saba Qom F.C. | 2004 - 2006 |
| Persepolis F.C. | 2003 - 2004 |
| Al Shabab Al Arabi Club Dubai | 2002 - 2003 |
Hertha Berlin
|
1999 - 2002 |
Bayern
|
1998 - 1999 |
Arminia
|
1997 - 1998 |
Al Sadd
|
1996 - 1997 |
| Persepolis F.C. | 1994 - 1996 |
| Bank Tejarat F.C. | 1990 - 1994 |
| Taxirani | 1989 - 1990 |
| Esteghlal Ardabil | 1987 - 1989 |
At the age of 34, the Iranian footballer ended his international career and so in 2002, he decided to join the UAE league and play as a free agent for Al-Shabbab. He transferred to Saba Battery in 2004 and to Saipa in 2006. On May 28, 2007, after a suspension following a head-butt incident in a league game and after Saipa won the Persian Gulf Cup, Daei retired from playing football. He, however, continued coaching teams which he began since 2006. He managed Saipa and Iran until the latter part of December 2009, when he signed an 18-month coaching contract with the popular club, Persepolis F.C.
Daei is the holder of the world’s most prolific scorer in official international matches, making a total of 109 international goals. So far, he is the only player in the world who has surpassed 100 international goals and is trailed by far by Hungary’s Ferenc Puskás with a total score of 84 international goals. With a record of 149 caps, he is also the most capped Iranian and the current top 12 most capped player in the world.
