Saman Ghoddos has officially signed with Ittihad Kalba, becoming the third Iranian player to join this UAE Pro League team.

After being released by the English Premier League club Brentford at the end of the season, the Team Melli midfielder faced challenges in finding a new club in Europe. Despite his qualities and commitment, clubs in his home country of Sweden were also reluctant to offer him a contract.

Eventually, Ittihad Kalba, a lower-ranked UAE club, showed interest. The prospect of joining two of his Team Melli teammates, combined with a lack of other offers, led Ghoddos to sign with Kalba. Mehdi Ghayedi and Shahriar Moghanlou, the two other Iranian players at Ittihad Kalba, have already made their mark, with both players featuring in the club’s recent match against Khor Fakkan and scoring the two goals that registered the first win of the club in this season.

It is quite disheartening to see talents like Ghoddos and Sardar Azmoun end up in a league of lower stature compared to the elite European leagues. The question arises as to how such promising careers, especially Azmoun’s, can take such a downturn, leading them to play in leagues of much lower standards. This situation often reflects the players’ mentality, commitment, and mental toughness.