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Khodadad Azizi
Khodadad Azizi 02.jpg
Azizi in 2019
Personal information
Full name Khodadad Azizi
Date of birth (1971-06-22) 22 June 1971 (age 54)
Place of birth Fariman,Iran
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1983–1988 Aboomoslem
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1993 Aboomoslem
1993–1995 Fath Tehran
1995–1996 Bahman
1996–1997 Persepolis 4 (4)
1997–2000 1. FC Köln 50 (10)
2000 San Jose Earthquakes 20 (3)
2001 Al-Nasr 10 (2)
2001–2005 Pas 82 (23)
2005 Admira Wacker 0 (0)
2005–2006 Oghab
2006 Rah Ahan 11 (2)
International career
1992–2004 Iran 45 (11)
Managerial career
2006–2007 Aboomoslem
2008 Payam Khorasan
2009 Esteghlal Ahvaz
2011–2012 Aboomoslem
2015 Shahrdari Tabriz
2016–2017 Siah Jamegan
2018 Sepidrood Rasht
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Khodadad Azizi (Persian: خداداد عزیزی; born on June 22, 1971) is a famous Iranian football coach and former player. He was known as a fantastic striker, scoring many goals for his teams. People often remember him for his speed and exciting plays on the field.

Early Life and Football Dreams

Khodadad grew up in Mashhad, Iran. Even as a young boy, he loved playing football. He sometimes played with shoes that didn't even match! He faced challenges early on, working to help his family when he was just 11 years old. His passion for football helped him through these times.

Playing for Clubs Around the World

Khodadad Azizi played for several clubs in Iran. After showing his amazing skills in Asia, he moved to Germany in 1997. He joined a team called 1. FC Köln. Azizi, along with other Iranian players like Ali Daei and Karim Bagheri, were among the first Iranians to play in the top German league, known as the Bundesliga.

After playing for three seasons with 1. FC Köln, he moved to the United States. In 2000, he signed with the San Jose Earthquakes in California. This made him the second Iranian player to play in the United States' Major League Soccer.

In 2001, Khodadad Azizi moved to the United Arab Emirates to play for Al Nasr. Soon after, he returned to Iran and joined Pas Tehran. In 2005, he played for Admira Wacker in the Austrian Bundesliga for a short time. He then returned to Iran to play for Oghab and Rah Ahan.

Khodadad Azizi retired from playing club and international football after the 2005–06 season. He finished his international career with 47 games played and 11 goals scored.

Playing for His Country: Iran

Azizi was a key player for the Iran national football team. He played in important tournaments like the 1996 AFC Asian Cup, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and the 2000 Asian Cup.

He was recognized as the best player in Asia! He was named Asian Player of the Year in 1996. He also won the Asian Cup Most Valuable Player award at the 1996 Asian Cup.

Khodadad Azizi is especially remembered for a very important goal. In November 1997, he scored the goal against Australia that tied the game. This goal helped send Iran to the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France! It was a huge moment for Iranian football fans.

Life as a Coach

After retiring as a player, Khodadad Azizi became a football coach. In December 2006, he became the manager of Aboomoslem. This was the same club where he started his playing career many years before. He also coached other teams like Payam Khorasan and Esteghlal Ahvaz. He returned to coach Aboomoslem for a second time in 2011.

Achievements and Awards

Khodadad Azizi won several important titles and awards during his career:

Team Honours

  • 1. FC Köln
    • 2. Bundesliga: 1999–2000 (This means his team won the second division league in Germany)
  • Pas

Individual Awards

  • AFC Player of the Year: 1996
  • AFC Asian Cup Most Valuable Player: 1996
  • MLS All-Star: 2000 (He was chosen as one of the best players in the US league)
  • MasterCard Asian/Oceanian Team of the 20th Century: 1998 (He was recognized as one of the best players from Asia/Oceania in the 20th century)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Khodadad Azizi para niños

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