Nasser Hejazi (Persian: ناصر حجازی , born December 19, 1949 in Piranshahr, Iran) is one of the most famous football players in Iran. In 2000, the Asian Football Confederation ranked him the second best Asian goalkeeper of the twentieth century.
Playing career
Hejazi was the goalkeeper of the Taj football club and Iran during the 1970s. Hejazi first broke into the Esteghlal side when he was only 18 years old. Yet within six months, he joined up with the national team, just in time to feature in the squad that won the Asian Cup in 1968. He represented Iran at the Olympic Games in 1972, won an Asian Club Championship winners medal in 1970, picked up two more Asian Cups and went to the World Cup final in Argentina. His stunning career stretched for 11 years. After the 1978 World Cup Hejazi received an offer from Manchester United F.C., he trained and played with them for a month even apperaning in a reserve match against Stoke City at which time Dave Sexton was coach. Manchester United F.C. wanted him to stay for another two or three months and then they would officially sign him. Unfortunately there was no-one at the IRIFF at the time of the Iranian revolution to arrange the extension so Manchester United F.C. signed Gary Bailey. He ended his professional career in 1980 at the age of 29.
Managerial career
During the 1990s, Hejazi was the head coach of a number of football clubs including the Mohammedan Sporting Club club in Bangladesh, the Mashin Sazi club in Tabriz, Iran, the Esteghlal club in Tehran, and finally Esteghlal Ahvaz. During his tenure with Esteghlal, Hejazi took the club to the final match of the Asian Champions League in 1998. They were beaten by the Japanese club Jubilo Iwata in the final match played in Tehran. During his years as a coach, Hejazi was the first to discover many talented Iranian football players, including Ali Daei and Rahman Rezaei. In early August 2006 Hejazi announced he signed a one year contract as head coach of Azadegan League outfit Nassaji Mazandaran. He resigned from the post in January of 2007.
Presidential ambition
On November of 2004, Hejazi announced his nomination for the 2005 Iranian presidential election on behalf of youth and sportmen. Some political experts expected him to be rejected by the Guardian Council, as he is not a legal 'Political Man' under Islamic Republic Constitutional Law. He was subsequently rejected a few weeks prior to the election.
Legacy
Nasser Hejazi is considered by many to be one of the greatest Iranian and Asian goalkeepers of all time. Hejazi was a member of the all-conquering Iranian team of the 1960s and '70s that won the Asian Cup a record three times in a row and played in the team that represented the country in Argentina at the 1978 World Cup. His goalkeeping legacy in Iran is only rivaled by Ahmad Reza Abedzadeh.
Playing career
Hejazi was the goalkeeper of the Taj football club and Iran during the 1970s. Hejazi first broke into the Esteghlal side when he was only 18 years old. Yet within six months, he joined up with the national team, just in time to feature in the squad that won the Asian Cup in 1968. He represented Iran at the Olympic Games in 1972, won an Asian Club Championship winners medal in 1970, picked up two more Asian Cups and went to the World Cup final in Argentina. His stunning career stretched for 11 years. After the 1978 World Cup Hejazi received an offer from Manchester United F.C., he trained and played with them for a month even apperaning in a reserve match against Stoke City at which time Dave Sexton was coach. Manchester United F.C. wanted him to stay for another two or three months and then they would officially sign him. Unfortunately there was no-one at the IRIFF at the time of the Iranian revolution to arrange the extension so Manchester United F.C. signed Gary Bailey. He ended his professional career in 1980 at the age of 29.
Managerial career
During the 1990s, Hejazi was the head coach of a number of football clubs including the Mohammedan Sporting Club club in Bangladesh, the Mashin Sazi club in Tabriz, Iran, the Esteghlal club in Tehran, and finally Esteghlal Ahvaz. During his tenure with Esteghlal, Hejazi took the club to the final match of the Asian Champions League in 1998. They were beaten by the Japanese club Jubilo Iwata in the final match played in Tehran. During his years as a coach, Hejazi was the first to discover many talented Iranian football players, including Ali Daei and Rahman Rezaei. In early August 2006 Hejazi announced he signed a one year contract as head coach of Azadegan League outfit Nassaji Mazandaran. He resigned from the post in January of 2007.
Presidential ambition
On November of 2004, Hejazi announced his nomination for the 2005 Iranian presidential election on behalf of youth and sportmen. Some political experts expected him to be rejected by the Guardian Council, as he is not a legal 'Political Man' under Islamic Republic Constitutional Law. He was subsequently rejected a few weeks prior to the election.
Legacy
Nasser Hejazi is considered by many to be one of the greatest Iranian and Asian goalkeepers of all time. Hejazi was a member of the all-conquering Iranian team of the 1960s and '70s that won the Asian Cup a record three times in a row and played in the team that represented the country in Argentina at the 1978 World Cup. His goalkeeping legacy in Iran is only rivaled by Ahmad Reza Abedzadeh.




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