News / Sports

Veteran Iranian soccer player, coach passes away at 53

Monday, 18 January 2016 3:10 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 18 January 2016 3:11 PM ]

Late Iranian footballer Reza Naddaf Ahadi (file photo)

Former Iranian soccer player and coach Reza Naddaf Ahadi has lost a bravely fought battle with an acute liver failure, and passed way at the age of 53.

Naddaf Ahadi, who was born on November 30, 1962, in the Iranian capital, died at Iran Mehr Hospital in the northern part of Tehran on Monday morning.

He was admitted to hospital with a severe lung infection and later developed a liver disorder, which sent him into coma.

Naddaf Ahadi was praised for his creativity and bursts of acceleration, and referred to Iran’s Rudi Völler, a former German international soccer player, and a former manager of the German national football team. He won the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Milan, Italy, as a player.

Naddaf Ahadi started his career with Tehran-based Rah Ahan Yazdan Football Club, and featured regularly for the side from 1980 to 1984.

He then moved to Esteghlal Tehran Football Club, and played for the Blues for two years.

Later on, Naddaf Ahadi signed a two-year deal with German football club Rot-Weiss Essen. He returned to Esteghlal Tehran in 1987, and ended his link three years later.

He was a member of the Iran national soccer team, better known as Team Melli, from 1982 to 1984. He had 13 international caps, and scored two goals for Team Melli.

Naddaf Ahadi managed Esteghlal B team, Esteghlal Ahvaz, Aboomoslem, Shahdari Zanjan, Kowsar Lorestan, Paykan and Payam Mashhad soccer teams from 2001 to 2011, when he retired.

He introduced a number of Iranian players, including Vahid Talebloo, Khosro Heydari and Andranik Teymourian, to professional soccer. Teymourian now dons the captain’s armband in Team Melli.

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