Ali Daei

Lore & Background

Ali Daei was born in Ardabil, Imperial Iran, to an Iranian Azerbaijani family. He graduated from Aryamehr University of Technology in Materials Engineering (Metallurgical) with a BSc degree. He began his playing career at 19 with his hometown club Esteghlal Ardabil, later playing for Taxirani F.C., Bank Tejarat, Persepolis, Al Sadd, and several Bundesliga clubs including Arminia Bielefeld, Bayern Munich, and Hertha Berlin. He became the first Asian player to feature in a UEFA Champions League match and scored his first Champions League goals against Chelsea on 21 September 1999.

Daei made his international debut for Iran at the 1993 ECO Cup tournament. He scored 20 goals in competitive matches in 1996, including four goals against South Korea in the Asian Cup. On 28 November 2003, he scored his 85th international goal, surpassing Ferenc Puskás as the all-time top scorer in international matches. On 17 November 2004, he became the first male footballer to score 100 international goals, netting four against Laos in a World Cup qualifier. He ended his international career with 109 goals (later downgraded to 108), a record that stood until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed it in 2021.

Reader's Guide

Ali Daei's significance lies in his unprecedented goal-scoring feats for the Iranian national team, where he set a world record of 108 international goals that stood for over a decade. As the all-time Asian men's top scorer, he became a symbol of Iranian and Asian football excellence. His career spanned clubs in Iran, Qatar, Germany, and the UAE, and he was the first Asian player to appear in the UEFA Champions League. Beyond playing, Daei served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from 2001, was a member of the FIFA Football Committee from 2007 to 2013, and was inducted into the Asian Football Hall of Fame in 2014. His managerial career included leading Saipa to the Persian Gulf Cup title in his first season and coaching the Iranian national team, though his tenure ended after poor World Cup qualification results. Daei's legacy is defined by his goal-scoring records and his role in elevating Asian football on the global stage.

Did You Know?

• Ali Daei was the first male footballer to score 100 international goals, achieving this on 17 November 2004 against Laos.
• He was the first Asian player to feature in a UEFA Champions League match.
• Daei was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2001.
• He was inducted into the Asian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.