Five Interesting Facts About Persepolis FC

When it comes to the Persian Gulf Pro League, Persepolis FC represents the highest level of competition and pure love of the game. With thirteen titles in the Persian Gulf Pro League, the Red Army is the league’s most promising contender in Asian Football Confederation competitions. 

Though the PGPL doesn’t appear alongside prominent leagues like the Premier League or La Liga, Persepolis FC gains international exposure each time they compete in the AFC Champions League. 

In fact, top players from Persepolis who play for the Iranian national team (ranked first by FIFA in the AFC) receive further exposure in World Cup qualifying matches. Though a smaller league comparatively, the PGPL is the gateway for top Iranian footballers to feature on bets for popular sporting events like the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup.

But for those competing in Tehran with the Red Army, there’s no greater honor than being part of one of Asia’s most prestigious clubs. Let’s find out why.

The Most Popular Club in Asia

Despite the fact that the Chinese Super League has been active since 2004 and continues to sweep top talents from European leagues, Persepolis FC is the most popular football club in Asia. To put that into context, Persepolis FC is the most popular football club for some 4.46 billion people, with some 400 million fans of football in China alone. 

With Sepp Blatter, former President of FIFA, indicating that Asia will be the future stomping grounds for all things football, Persepolis FC has a bright future. Even better, they’ve already established themselves as the AFC’s top club. On four occasions, 100,000 spectators packed into Azadi Stadium to watch the Red Army play in the AFC Champions League.

Legends of the 90s

Persepolis FC has helped groom some of the country’s most elite football talents. Though the club has had a strong resurgence in recent years with major names like Seyed Jalal Hosseini and Vahid Amiri, their squad from back in the 90s can’t be contested.

Throughout the decade, talents like Ali Daei, Khodadad Azizi, Mehdi ‘Kia’ Mahdavikia, and Karim Bagheri graced the field at Azadi Stadium. One of these players even went on to score in the World Cup (keep reading for more details).

Still No AFC Trophy

Though the club has been active for 57 years and has a record number of 13 titles in the Persian Gulf Pro League, the Red Army hasn’t been able to take home a major victory in the AFC. The AFC Champions League has two successful clubs with three titles each, Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia and Pohang Steelers from South Korea.

Even worse for Persepolis FC, their crosstown rivals, Esteghlal, have two titles and two runners-up positions. Even PAS Tehran earned a title to their name prior to their dissolution. Meanwhile, the Red Army has only two runners-up marks.

 A Red Scored Iran’s Only World Cup Goal

Persepolis FC isn’t short on miracle moments. In fact, it’s likely something fans love about following the team. There’s passion, talent, and the players don’t quit until the final whistle is blown. 

Though Iran has yet to get past the group stage in the World Cup, at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, they did manage to take home their first victory. With only six minutes left in regular time, Medhi Mahdavikia scored a goal that saw Iran win 2-1 against the United States. It was their only win prior to their defeat of Morocco in the 2018 World Cup.

An Irishman Wins the Tehran Derby

Though Iranian by ancestry, Eamon Zayed was born in Ireland. The striker moved to Iran after joining Persepolis FC in 2012. Unfortunately for the newcomer, his debut game would be the Tehran derby. In other words, a trial by fire. 

With 10 minutes left, the Red Army trailed 2-0. Zayed then went on to score his first goal in the league in his debut game—and, one minute later, Zayed scored a second. With the game tied at 2-2 with only minutes left in regular time, Zayed did the impossible. He scored two minutes into extra time, giving Persepolis FC a 3-2 win over their arch-rivals.