Mehdi Mahdavikia

Mehdi Mahdavikia
Mahdavikia in 2013
Personal information
Full name Mehdi Mahdavikia[1]
Date of birth (1977-07-24) 24 July 1977 (age 47)
Place of birth Ray, Iran
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Position(s) Right winger, right back
Youth career
1991–1995 Bank Melli
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1999 Persepolis 54 (18)
1998–1999 → VfL Bochum (loan) 12 (3)
1999–2007 Hamburger SV 211 (26)
2002 → Hamburger SV Amateure (loan) 2 (0)
2007–2010 Eintracht Frankfurt 32 (0)
2010–2011 Steel Azin 34 (4)
2011–2012 Damash Gilan 14 (0)
2012–2013 Persepolis 27 (3)
Total 386 (54)
International career
1994 Iran U20 2 (0)
1994–1999 Iran U23 12 (2)
1997 Iran CISM 3 (1)
1996–2009 Iran 110 (13)
Managerial career
2013 Iran U17 (technical manager)[3]
2013–2015 Iran U19 (technical manager)[4]
2015–2018 Hamburger SV Academy (offensive coach)[5]
2018 Hamburger SV U16 (assistant)[6]
2018–2019 Hamburger SV II (assistant)[7]
2021–2022 Iran U23
2024– Al Jazeera Al Hamra F.C.
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mehdi Mahdavikia (Persian: مهدی مهدوی‌کیاⓘ; born 24 July 1977) is an Iranian professional football coach and former player usually played as a right winger or right back.

He was at Hamburger SV as a youth coach,[8] and also managed his own youth academy, FC KIA. He is currently head coach of Al Jazeera Al Hamra F.C. in UAE League 2.

Mahdavikia currently represents Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the Football Advisory Panel of International Football Association Board (IFAB), joining the body in 2019.[9] On 15 May 2013, Mahdavikia was appointed as AFC Grassroots Ambassador.[10]

During his playing career, Mahdavikia internationally represented Iranian national team, which he captained from 2006 to 2009, and currently is the fourth most capped player of all-time. He played for Iranian clubs Bank Melli, Persepolis, Steel Azin and Damash Gilan, as well as German clubs VfL Bochum, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Frankfurt, spending 12 consecutive seasons in Bundesliga.

He won the Asian Young Footballer of the Year award in 1997 as well as the Asian Footballer of the Year award in 2003.[11] He was known for his crossing, speed and dribbling.

  1. ^ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Iran" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference wf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Iranian legend inspires U-17 side". FIFA. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  4. ^ Pezhman Pars (20 January 2015). "Iransk U-19-talang: "Jag vill spela i OS 2016"" (in Swedish). SvenskaFans.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  5. ^ Marc-Oliver Robbers (20 January 2016). "Mahdavikia will als Trainer hoch hinaus" (in German). Sportnachrichten. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  6. ^ Marc-Oliver Robbers (1 June 2018). "Irans Legende Mehdi Mahdavikia im Interview: "Wir haben Bayern geschlagen"" (in German). Comunio. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Mahdavikia Joins Hamburger U21 Team as Assistant Coach". Financial Tribune. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference A-Lizenz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "IFAB hails Iran's Mahdavikia joining AFC advisory Panel". IRNA. 18 October 2003. 83522358. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Mahdavikia, Lili proud to play ambassador roles". the-afc.com. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  11. ^ "Mahdavikia scoops Asian best player award". FIFA. 11 December 2003. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.