Khodadad Azizi

Infobox Football biography
playername = Khodadad Azizi


fullname = Khodadad Azizi
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|6|22
cityofbirth = Mashhad
countryofbirth = Iran
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|m=1.69
position = Head Coach, "Former Striker"
currentclub = Payam Mashhad FC
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1988—1992
1992—1994
1994—1996
1996—1997
1997—2000
2000
2001
2001—2005
2005
2005—2006
2006
clubs = Aboomoslem
PAS Tehran
Bahman
Persepolis "(loan)"
Köln
San Jose Earthquakes
Al-Nasr
PAS Tehran
Admira Wacker
Oghab
Rah Ahan
caps(goals) = 50 (10) 20 0(3) 0? (23) 00 0(0) 10 0(2) [cite web
title= fa icon Event /مصاحبه با فوتبالیست محبوب ایران: خداداد عزیزی
url=http://www.irani.at/html/event/event_interview_khodadad_aziz_farsi.php
publisher=www.irani.at
accessdate=2006-07-11]
nationalyears = 1992—2005
2007
nationalteam = fb|Iran
Khorasan XI
nationalcaps(goals) = 47 (11)
2 (2)
manageryears = 2006—2007 2008-
managerclubs = Aboomoslem Payam Khorasan

Khodadad Azizi (PerB|خداداد عزیزی, born June 22, 1971 in Mashhad, Iran) is a retired professional football striker.

International career

Azizi represented Iran at the 1996 Asian cup, 1998 FIFA World Cup, and the 2000 Asian Cup. He was named Asian Player of the Year in 1996, as well as the Asian Cup Most Valuable Player in the 1996 Asian Cup.

Khodadad Azizi is best remembered for scoring the equaliser against Australia in the second leg World Cup Qualifier in November 1997, sending Iran into France 98.

Club career

After playing for a few clubs in Iran and following his brilliant performance in Asia, he moved to Germany in 1997 to play for 1. FC Köln. Khodadad Azizi, along with his Iranian national team-mates Ali Daei and Karim Bagheri, were among the first Iranians to enter German Bundesliga.

Having played for three seasons in 1. FC Köln, he signed a contract with California based club, San Jose Earthquakes. In 2001 Khodadad Azizi was transferred to the UAE club, Al Nasr, before returning to Iran and joining Pas Tehran.

In 2005 he signed for Admira Wacker in Austrian Bundesliga, but due to problems with the coach and his staff, he left the team without playing a single minute in an official game. He returned to Iran soon after and signed for lower division club, Oghab F.C.. His stay there was not very lengthy as he signed for Rah Ahan F.C. in late 2005.

Retirement

After the 2005-06 season, Azizi retired from club and international football. He finished his international career with 47 caps and 11 goals. Following his retirement, Azizi was employed by his hometown club, F.C. Aboomoslem, as a club chairman advisor. [cite web
title= fa icon قلعه نويى مربى شجاعى است - عزيزى: به فكر يك مربى خارجى هم باشيم
url=http://www.iran-varzeshi.com/1385/850428/html/footbal3.htm#s195276
publisher=Iran Varzeshi Newspaper
accessdate=2006-07-18] . Azizi also co-owns a sports clothing label called "Majid" with financial backing from Majid Saedifar who put a $40 Million into the company.

In December, 2006, Azizi was appointed the manager of F.C. Aboomoslem, a Mashhad based football club that he had started his lustrous career with in the early 90's. He was replaced by Parviz Mazloumi in October 2007 after relations with the club chairman turned sour. In 2007he returned to the field at age of 36 as captain of Khorasan-e-Razavi Provincial Football Team.He is currently the technical director of Payam Khorasan, another football club based in his hometown of Mashhad.

Mr. Azizi was also involved in an altercation with Abu Moslem official, Shafagh, which resulted in a brawl caught on media. He had pulled one of his players out of the game for unknown reasons, and the team was only playing with 10 men. This is what promted the altercation. Mr. Azizi has been cleared from this incididnt.

Personal life

Azizi married for the first time when he was only twenty three. His daughter, Fatimeh, was born three years later, at the same time he made the equaliser goal against Australia. Although married at the time, Azizi fell in love years later in California while playing for the San Jose Earthquakes. Azizi's new found love resulted in his divorce from his first wife of seven years. The record is not clear if the new couple ever officially married in the four years they were together. Azizi's devastating heartbreak was a contributing factor to him leaving Austrian Bundesliga. Azizi eventually married again in order to have a mother figure for Fatimeh. In late 2005 Azizi and his new wife welcomed a baby boy to their family named Amir Hossein Azizi.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.teammelli.com/Roster/AziziRoster.htm Khodadad Azizi] at [http://www.teammelli.com TeamMelli.com]
* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/your_turn/news/2000/07/25/chatreel_azizi/ Interview with CNNSI.com]