Ali Daei

Ali Daei (Persian: علی دایی  pronounced ; born 22 March 1969) is an Iranian football manager and former player. A striker, he was the captain of the Iranian national team between 2000 and 2006. He played in the German Bundesliga for Arminia Bielefeld, Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin. He is regarded as one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time.

A tall forward, Daei was a prolific goalscorer known for his heading accuracy and ability in the air. He was the world's top international goalscorer with 110, until his record was broken by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021. During his playing career, Daei was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2001. Following his retirement, Daei served as a member of the FIFA Football Committee between 2007 and 2013. In 2014, he was inducted into the Asian Football Hall of Fame.

Early years

Daei was born in Ardabil, Imperial Iran, to an Iranian Azerbaijani family. Daei graduated from Sharif University of Technology in Materials Engineering (Metallurgical) with a BSc. degree. He began his playing career at 19 with hometown club Esteghlal Ardabil. His next club was Taxirani F.C. in Tehran, where he played for one season, before joining another Tehran-based club, Bank Tejarat. His tenure with Bank Tejarat lasted four years, scoring 49 goals in 75 games.