Tag: Aziz Asli

Former Team Melli defender Jafar Kashani, passes away.

Jafar Kashani , the former Team Melli defender of the golden era of Team Melli has died in Tehran on Wednesday.

After a long struggle with illness, Kashani finally succumbed in a Tehran hospital.

Jafar Kashani, one of the player discovered by the famous Dr.Abbas Ekrami, Shahin F.C.’s founder when he was only 16. After Shahin’s dissolution, Kashani joined Persepolis F.C. and played until 1974 when he was captain. With Team Melli , Kashani made his debut against Hong Kong on 10th May 1968 in the AFC Asian Cup tournament which Iran won for the first time. Kashani went on to win the AFC Asian Cup 1972 title for the second time in Thailand. He also was amemebrt of Team Melli in the 1976 Montreal Olympics followed by winning the 1974 Asian Games gold Medal title before he retired.

Kashani teammates in the golden age of Iran’s football include the late Homayoun Behzadi, Ebrahim Ashtiani, Aziz Asli, Parviz Ghleechkhani, Hossein Kalani, Mostafa Arab, Nasser Hejazi, Gholamhossein Mazloomi and Ali Parvin amongst others.

Kashani played at the centre of defence for 33 times. He was as a rock-solid defender and was amongst the very dedicated players who always gave his best.

After his retirement, Kashani was away from football for some time but was involved in the Management of Persepolis club in the last few years.

May he rest in Peace.

Aziz Asli passes away.

 

Aziz ASLI , the legendary team Melli goalkeeper has passed away in Düsseldorf , Germany today after a long illness . Aziz Asli Manish , who was 78 years old was born on 4th April 1937 in Tabriz was a star of Persepolis team in the sixties. 

Asli started his senior football career with Daraei club from 1949 to 1955. From then on he played for Persepolis until his retirement in 1968. His career with Team Melli started in 1962 with a debut match against Iraq and lasted until his retirement in 1968 after he lifted the Asian Cup in the final match against Israel.

Aziz Asli was the first goalkeeper that represented Iran in a major world tournament when he kept goal for Team Melli in the Olympic games Tokyo. Asli played 24 times for Team Melli.

Several generations of Iranian goalkeepers L2R: Movadat, Niknafas, Asli, Tavoosi and Hejazi
Several generations of Iranian goalkeepers L2R: Movadat, Niknafas, Asli, Tavoosi and Hejazi

Asli was the goalkeeper of Team Melli that lifted the Asian Cup for the first time in Tehran.,

Aziz Asli had a short stint in training and was the assistant coach of Zob Ahan club for two seasons before being appointed in 1970 as head coach. He was out of Zob Ahan a year later.

Asli also played various roles in several movies.