Andranik Eskandarian facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andranik Eskandarian | ||
| Date of birth | 31 December 1951 | ||
| Place of birth | Tehran, Imperial State of Iran | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1968–1970 | Poolad Tehran | ||
| 1970–1972 | Ararat Tehran | ||
| 1972–1978 | Taj | 184 | (2) |
| 1978–1984 | New York Cosmos | 142 | (0) |
| 1984–1985 | New York Cosmos (indoor) | 29 | (1) |
| 1986–1987 | New York Express (indoor) | 14 | (0) |
| 1989–1990 | New Jersey Eagles | ||
| International career | |||
| 1975–1978 | Iran | 29 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Andranik Eskandarian is a famous former footballer from Iran. He was born on December 31, 1951. Andranik played as a defender, which means his main job was to stop the other team from scoring goals. He played for several teams, including F.C. Ararat Tehran, Taj SC in Iran, and the New York Cosmos in the United States.
He was also a key player for the Iranian national team. He helped them win a big tournament and even played in the World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Andranik Eskandarian started his professional football journey in Iran. He played for F.C. Ararat Tehran before joining Taj SC. With Taj SC, he achieved great success.
Success with Taj SC
Andranik played for Taj SC for six years, from 1972 to 1978. During his time there, the team won the Iranian league in 1975. They also came in second place in 1974. In 1977, his team won the Hazfi Cup, which is another important football competition in Iran. Fans of Taj SC even gave him a special nickname: Barbed Wire. This showed how tough and difficult he was for opposing players to get past.
International Matches for Iran
Andranik Eskandarian was a very important player for the Iranian national team.
- Asia Cup 1976: He was part of the Iranian team that won the Asia Cup in 1976. This was a huge victory for Iran, and it happened right in their home city of Tehran.
- 1976 Summer Olympics: Later that same year, he played in the Olympic Tournament in Montreal, Canada. The team reached the quarterfinals, which was a great achievement.
- 1978 FIFA World Cup: Andranik also played for Iran in the 1978 FIFA World Cup. This was a very special moment because it was the first time Iran had ever qualified for the World Cup! In a match against Scotland, Andranik accidentally scored an "own-goal." This means he kicked the ball into his own team's net. However, his teammate later scored, making the game a 1-1 tie. Even with the own-goal, Iran's performance, especially Andranik's strong defense against famous players like Kenny Dalglish, was seen as a success.
Moving to the United States
After the 1978 World Cup, Andranik Eskandarian moved to America. He joined the New York Cosmos in 1979. At that time, the Cosmos were one of the most famous football teams in the United States. He played for them until 1984.
After the Cosmos team stopped playing, Andranik continued his career in indoor soccer. He played for the New York Express for a short time. From 1989 to 1990, he played for the New Jersey Eagles.
Personal Life
Andranik Eskandarian was born in Tehran, Iran, on December 31, 1951. He comes from an Armenian family.
Andranik is also the father of another well-known football player, Alecko Eskandarian. Alecko played in Major League Soccer, which is the top football league in the United States.
In 1984, Andranik Eskandarian became a citizen of the United States. Today, he owns and runs two sporting goods stores in New Jersey.
Major Wins and Awards
Andranik Eskandarian achieved many successes during his football career.
Club Trophies
- Taj SC
- Iranian Football League: 1974–75
- Hazfi Cup: 1976–77
- New York Cosmos
- North American Soccer League: 1978, 1980, 1982
National Team Success
- Iran
- AFC Asian Cup: 1976
See also
In Spanish: Andranik Eskandarian para niños
