- Ebrahim Mirzapour
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Ebrahim Mirzapour Personal information Full name Ebrahim Mirzapour Date of birth September 16, 1978 Place of birth Mamoolan, Lorestan, Iran Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Playing position Goalkeeper Club information Current club Shahrdari Tabriz Number 1 Youth career 1986–1997 Behzisti Mamoolan Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1997–1998 Fajr Khorramabad 1998–2006 Foolad 168 (1) 2006–2007 Esteghlal Ahvaz 4 (0) 2007–2008 Steel Azin 5 (0) 2008–2010 Saipa 38 (0) 2010–2011 Paykan 27 (0) 2011– Shahrdari Tabriz 3 (0) National team‡ 2001– Iran 75 (0) 2002 Iran U23 (Wild Card) 6 (0) HonoursCompetitor for 
IranAsian Games Gold 2002 Busan Team Competition * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 August 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 September 2010Ebrahim Mirzapour (Persian: ابراهیم میرزاپور , born September 16, 1978 in Mamoolan, Lorestan) is an Iranian football goalkeeper, currently playing for Shahrdari Tabriz in the IPL.
Contents
Club career
He started his professional IPL career, playing for Foolad F.C., and was a member of the team until August 2006. He also made it to the national team while playing for Foolad, immediately becoming the number one keeper for his country. One of his most memorable moments came when he scored a goal on rival goalkeeper Armenak Petrosyan, off a goal kick. He was the captain of the team which won the 2004-2005 IPL championship.He also played in AFC Champions League for Foolad. After World Cup 2006, despite rumors linking him to CD Nacional[1] and Saipa FC, he signed a one-year contract with Foolad's rival, Esteghlal Ahvaz.[2]
He was seriously injured after only four appearances for Esteghlal Ahvaz, an injury that kept him out of play for fourteen months. He made his first appearance for his new club Steel Azin in a Hazfi Cup match against Shirin Faraz in November 2007. Then For 2008-09 season he joined Saipa F.C..He started the season with being a regular player but he could not keep this and only played in 16 matches.He mentioned that he wants to stay with Saipa F.C..He second season was more successful where he was able to play more matches and even getting invited to Team Melli.He Joined Paykan in the summer of 2010.
Club career statistics
Last Update 12 August 2011
Club performance League Cup Continental Total Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total 1998-99 Foolad Azadegan League 0 0 - - 0 1999–00 0 0 - - 0 2000–01 0 0 - - 0 2001–02 Pro League 0 0 - - 0 2002–03 0 0 - - 0 2003–04 1 0 - - 1 2004–05 22 0 0 - - 0 2005–06 18 0 0 5 0 0 2006–07 Esteghlal Ahvaz 4 0 0 0 - - 4 0 2007–08 Steel Azin Division 1 5 0 0 - - 0 2008–09 Saipa Pro League 16 0 0 0 0 0 2009–10 22 0 0 0 - - 22 0 2010–11 Paykan 27 0 0 0 - - 27 0 2011–12 Shahrdari Tabriz 3 0 0 0 - - 3 0 Career total 231 1 0 5 0 1 International career
Ebrahim Mirzapour's introduction to the Iranian football squad certainly raised a few eyebrows in Iran when the ex-national team coach, the Croat Miroslav Blazevic preferred him to some more experienced goal keepers. Although Mirzapour started nervously, his solid performance in friendly games and against the odds made Blazevic to have enough confidence in him and install him as the fixed starter in the World Cup 2002 qualification matches. Mirzapour did not disappoint either as his towering presence and agility against the best of the competition certainly increased his popularity and his fan base. Although he was faulted in one or two occasions during the qualifying rounds, he was also credited for many saves and for preventing defeats in matches, by his solid and strong performance. Iran eventually did not make it to the 2002 World Cup, due to their 2-1 aggregate loss to the Republic of Ireland in the playoffs.
Ebrahim Mirzapour was able to keep his starting position in the national team coached by Branko Ivankovic. He was the starting goalkeeper in Iran's successful run of victories, attaining a number of clean sheets throughout the 2006 World Cup qualifying matches. Iran together with Japan were the first nations to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, where Mirzapour played in all three of Iran's matches.
Although his outstanding reflexes and agility are noted, Mirzapour has a habit of suffering from lapses in concentration and is prone to make mistakes especially on goal kicks. He played a great game in Iran's second World Cup match vs. Portugal, although they lost 2-0. After the world cup and the criticism on him, he was invited to Team Melli again for the match against South Korea in 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification match under the new coach Amir Ghalenoei.After about two years he was invited to Team Melli again on May 2008 under Ali Daei and played for Team Melli in West Asian Football Federation Championship 2008 after about 2 years and won this cup but he got injured in the match against Qatar.He featured in West Asian Football Federation Championship 2010 and was part of the squad in 2011 Asian Cup under Afshin Ghotbi.
Honours
Foolad:
Iran's Premier Football League Winner:1 2004/05
Iran:
- AFC/OFC Cup Challenge:1
- 2003
- Asian Games:1
- 2002
- West Asian Football Federation Championship winner: 1
- 2008
- Third Place:1
Notes
- ^ "Mirzapour to join Nacional FC of Portugal!". Footballmedia. http://www.footballmedia.net/articles.asp?id=838. Retrieved 2006-07-07.
- ^ "(Persian) ابراهیم میرزاپور استقلالی شد". IRNA. http://www.irna.ir/fa/news/view/line-14/8506024139121337.htm. Retrieved 2006-08-24.[dead link]
References
- "(Persian) حاشیههای آقای سیاستمدار". Hamshahri. http://www.hamshahri.net/News/?id=8335. Retrieved November 9, 2006.
External links
- RSSSF archive of Ebrahim Mirzapour's international appearances
- Ebrahim Mirzapour at TeamMelli.com
- Interview with Mirzapour by footballmedia.net
Iran squad – 2004 AFC Asian Cup Third Place 
Iran squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Mirzapour • 2 Mahdavikia • 3 Bakhtiarizadeh • 4 Golmohammadi • 5 Rezaei • 6 Nekounam • 7 Zandi • 8 Karimi • 9 Hashemian • 10 Daei (c) • 11 Khatibi • 12 Roudbarian • 13 Kaebi • 14 Teymourian • 15 Borhani • 16 Enayati • 17 Kazemian • 18 Navidkia • 19 Sadeghi • 20 Nosrati • 21 Madanchi • 22 Talebloo • 23 Shojaei • Coach: IvankovićIran squad – 2011 AFC Asian Cup 1 Rahmati • 2 Heydari • 3 Talebi • 4 Hosseini • 5 Aghili • 6 Nekounam • 7 Rezaei • 8 Shojaei • 9 Khalatbari • 10 Ansarifard • 11 Hajsafi • 12 Mirzapour • 13 Bengar • 14 Teymourian • 15 Hadadifar • 16 Norouzi • 17 M. Nouri • 18 P. Nouri • 19 Gholami • 20 Nosrati • 21 Afshin • 22 Gordan • 23 Mobali • Coach: GhotbiCategories:- Iranian footballers
- Foolad FC players
- Esteghlal Ahvaz players
- Steel Azin F.C. players
- Paykan players
- Shahrdari Tabriz players
- 2004 AFC Asian Cup players
- 2006 FIFA World Cup players
- 2011 AFC Asian Cup players
- Association football goalkeepers
- People from Lorestan Province
- 1978 births
- Living people
- Iran international footballers
- Asian Games gold medalists for Iran
- AFC/OFC Cup Challenge:1
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