Rahman Rezaei

Rahman Rezaei (Persian: رحمان رضايی‎, born 20 February 1975) is an Iranian retired football player and coach. He is also a former member of the Iran national football team and usually played in the Centre-back position.

Rahman Rezaei
Rezaei in 2020
Personal information
Full name Rahman Rezaei
Date of birth (1975-02-20) 20 February 1975
Place of birth Noor, Mazandaran, Iran
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 N/A
Youth career
1991–1995 Nassaji Mazandaran
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Bargh Tehran
1996 Rah Ahan
1996–2001 Zob Ahan
2001–2003 Perugia 38 (5)
2003–2006 Messina 107 (2)
2006–2008 Livorno 21 (1)
2008–2009 Persepolis 13 (0)
2009–2010 Al Ahli 9 (1)
2010–2011 Shahin Bushehr 6 (0)
2011–2012 Paykan
National team
2001–2009 Iran 54 (3)
Teams managed
2013–2014 Paykan (youth)
2014–2015 Rah Ahan (youth)
2016–2017 Tractor Sazi (assistant)
2018–2019 Bargh Jadid
2019–2020 Rayka Babol
2020–2021 Zob Ahan
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

He was originally discovered by Iranian manager, Nasser Hejazi. Rezaei played for Zob Ahan in Isfahan for five seasons. After impressive performances for the club and the national team, he was transferred to Perugia for €150,000[1] and then to Messina.

Rahman Rezaei is currently the most successful Asian defender in Europe.[2] In the 2003/2004 season, he helped Messina gain promotion to Serie A.[3] He had been one of Messina's most consistently used players with 36 appearances in their 2004–05 mid-table finish.[2] After steadily playing for his club for three seasons, at the end of August 2006 Rezaei signed with another Serie A club, Livorno.

He has won numerous plaudits in Italy and has been dubbed "The Flying Carpet".[3] In addition, his fans in Messina have named him the "Secretary of Defense".[3] In January 2006, he acquired Italian citizenship through his marriage to an Italian-Iranian Helia Hashemi.[3]

In July 2008, an Iranian newspaper reported Iranian giants Persepolis were holding talks with Rezaei. However, in mid-July, Afshin Ghotbi was re-appointed manager of Persepolis and cut the talks with Rezaei, stating that the club were not looking for a centre-back player at that moment in time.

On 10 August 2009, Rezaei signed a one-year, $700 thousand contract with Qatari side Al Ahli SC.[4] In 2010, he signed with Shahin Bushehr. A half-year later he joined Paykan. He announced his retirement from football on 4 July 2012.

Club career statistics
As of 18 May 2019
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
1996–97Zob AhanAzadegan League–
1997–98–
1998–99227–
1999–00–
2000–01292–
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
2001–02PerugiaSerie A25210–262
2002–031331000143
2003–04MessinaSerie B37200–372
2004–05Serie A36010–370
2005–0634000–340
2006–070020–20
Livorno1611030201
2007–085000–50
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
2008–09PersepolisPersian Gulf Pro League1303040200
Qatar League Emir of Qatar Cup Asia Total
2009–10Al Ahli SCQatar Stars League91–
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
2010–11ShahinPersian Gulf Pro League6000–60
Paykan13100–131
2011–12Azadegan League–
Total Iran 40
Total Italy 166860301758
Total Qatar 91–
Career total 70

International career

Rahman Rezaei made his first appearance for Iran in July 2001 against Bosnia. He has been the most consistent defender for the team ever since.

In European football, Rahman Rezaei is considered a solid defender well inclined to launch devastating counterattacks. However his role is different in the Iranian national football team, where he is a straight defensive centre back. He was formerly a forward, but has proved to be an indispensable defensive stalwart for an Iranian side considered top-heavy in attacking players.

He was among the key players for Iran in World Cup 2006, but he did not perform as well as everyone had hoped. He received some criticism following a couple mistakes which led to goals being scored against the team.

On 6 April 2007 Rezaei stated he will retire from international football after the 2007 Asian Cup.,[5][6] but in another interview in December 2007 he expressed his intention to return to the national team.[7] Rezaei was given his No. 5 jersey and was selected for Team Melli's 2010 World Cup Qualification matches. [8]

Iran national team
YearAppsGoals
2001160
200231
200350
2004100
200561
200681
200760
Total543

International goals
Scores and results list Iran's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
130 May 2002Sabah Al Salem Stadium, Kuwait City Kuwait2–13–1Friendly
23 June 2005Azadi Stadium, Tehran North Korea1–01–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
328 May 2006Azadi Stadium, Tehran Bosnia and Herzegovina2–25–2Friendly

Director of football
after time of playing he was director sport and coach in some clubs.
#seasonclubposition
12011–2012Paykan F.C.Director of football
22012–2013Persepolis F.C.Director of football
32020Zob Ahan F.C.Director of football

Personal life

Rezaei is married to translator Helia Hashemian, a woman of Iranian origin who was born in Assisi, Perugia.[9]

Notes
  1. Imparato Gaetano. "Perugia: il mondo in una stanza". Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  2. "GlobeandMail.com: Soccer – Rahman Rezaei". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2007.
  3. "ESPNsoccernet: Rahman Rezaei". ESPN. Retrieved 30 July 2007.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. پس از جام ملت‌ها از تيم ملي خداحافظي مي‌كنم (in Persian). ISNA. Archived from the original on 9 May 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
  6. رحمان رضايي رسما از تيم ملي فوتبال خداحافظي كرد (in Persian). ISNA. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
  7. "Rahman Rezaei: I intend to return to the national team". IranSportsPress. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  8. Rahman Rezaei at National-Football-Teams.com
  9. http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2006/giugno/08/Porte_aperte_tolleranza_Largo_all_ga_10_060608022.shtml
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