Next up in our alphabetical world tour is Iran. According to the Premier League website, four Iranians have appeared in the Premier League over the years, including one who still features now.
First Player – Karim Bagheri (Charlton Athletic; 2000-01)
A midfielder with an astonishing goal-scoring record, Karim Bagheri moved to Charlton on loan from German side Arminia Bielefeld in 2000.
A succession of injuries contributed to a disrupted season in London for Bagheri, who managed only one substitute appearance against Ipswich over the whole of 2000/01.
Though English football did not see the best of him, Karim Bagheri should be remembered as one of Iran’s finest footballing exports, scoring a mammoth 50 goals in 87 international appearances.
Records
- Most Appearances – Ashkan Dejagah (43)
- First appearance – Karim Bagheri (Ipswich 2-0 CHARLTON, November 11th 2000)
- Most goals – Ashkan Dejagah (5)
- First goal – Andranik Teymourian (Wigan 1-3 BOLTON, April 7th 2007)
Other Players
The second Iranian to appear in the Premier League was Andranik Teymourian, who made 21 appearances for Bolton and Fulham in the late 2000s. The next; Ashkan Dejagah, scored five goals in 43 appearances for Fulham between 2012 and 2014, both records for an Iranian in the Premier League.
The most recent Premier League Iranian, and the only one currently playing for a Premier League club, is Alireza Jahanbakhsh. After an impressive showing at the 2018 World Cup, and finishing top scorer in the 2017/18 Eredivisie season, Jahanbakhsh was brought to the South Coast with Brighton, where he remains today.
Trivia
- At the time of Karim Bagheri’s Premier League debut, Iran became the first AFC nation to appear in the Premier League (Australia joined AFC in 2005, having appeared in the Premier League as early as 1992).
- Karim Bagheri was the world’s top scorer in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, with 19 goals.
- Andranik Teymourian won 101 caps for Iran, the seventh most of any player.
