News / Sports

Karimi named Iran best midfielder in decades

Tuesday, 29 December 2015 12:58 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 29 December 2015 2:14 PM ]

Retired Iranian footballer Ali Karimi

Retired Iranian footballer Ali Karimi has claimed the title as the best striker of the country in more than three decades since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

According to an opinion poll conducted by the state-run IRIB 3 television network on Monday evening, Karimi garnered 70 percent of all the votes to be named Iran’s top-ranked midfielder in 37 years.

The pollsters also picked Mojtaba Jabbari, who currently plays for Al Ahli in the Qatar Stars League, as Iran’s second best striker.

Among other contestants in the survey were retired Shahrokh Bayani, who played for Iran’s national outfit in the 1984 Asian Cup, Tehran-based giants Esteghlal and Persepolis plus Qatari club al-Shamal, Masoud Shojaei, who plays for Qatari al-Gharafa Sports Club, Iman Mob’ali, who currently plays for Naft Tehran in Iran Pro League (IPL), retired player and football coach Ali Reza Mansourian, who is currently the manager of Naft Tehran as well as Amir Ghalenoei, who is a former player and currently manages Tractor Sazi.

Retired Iranian footballer Ali Karimi poses for a photograph next to his red Peykan station wagon during an auction in the northeastern shrine city of Mashhad, Iran, on September 26, 2015.

On September 26, Karimi’s first car, a red Peykan station wagon, was priced at over five billion rials (about $147,000) during an auction in the northeastern shrine city of Mashhad, and the proceeds went to charity.

The auction was held at the presence of Karimi and some artists and celebrities.

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