Mahdavikia parted ways with the Hamburg club
Mehdi Mahdavikia, the 2003 Asian Footballer of the Year, has left the Hamburg club after 9 years of activity in the youth ranks.
The club announced the departure of the Iranian football star and expressed gratitude for his contributions, stating that Mehdi’s future focus will be on the Kia Football Academy in Dubai.
In 2021, Mahdavikia was the head coach of Iran’s Olympic team, but the Iranian Football Federation did not renew his contract following the controversy that arose during the symbolic FIFA match in Qatar.
This match took place in December 2021 between world stars and Arab countries, and on the players’ jerseys, including Mahdavikia’s, flags of various countries, including Israel, were featured.
This issue provoked a strong reaction from some members of parliament and government-affiliated media, including the Kayhan newspaper.