Iran News tell a story of Sardar Azmoun.

Sardar Azmoun, born 1 January 1995, is an Iranian professional footballer who plays for Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg as a forward.

Since making his debut for the Iran national team in 2014, Azmoun has played in the 2015 and 2019 AFC Asian Cups and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He is also Iran’s fifth all-time highest goalscorer.

Personal life

Azmoun was born into a Sunni family of Iranian Turkmen origin. Azmoun speaks Turkmen and Persian fluently, and is fond of riding on horseback. He communicates with Kurban Berdyev, his Turkmenistani coach at FC Rubin Kazan and FC Rostov, in Turkmen. Sardar decided to wear number 69 at Kazan as a tribute to his hometown’s vehicle registration plate. Azmoun has stated he is a supporter of Spanish club Real Madrid in the future he has expressed interest in playing for Tractor Sazi in the Persian Gulf Pro League.

He is the son of Khalil Azmoun, a former Iranian national volleyball team player who has coached several volleyball teams, such as Golgohar Sirjan and Javaheri Gonbad VC.

Azmoun decided to retire from International football at the age of 23 just after Iran’s 2018 World Cup exit due to heavy criticism he faced from fans, as the criticism caused his mother’s illness to worsen. As a result, Azmoun chose to retire to be by his mother’s side. He has returned to the team after taking this break.

Early years

Azmoun started to play club football when he was 9. He began his career at Oghab Gonbad of Gonbad-e Kavus. He also played volleyball and was invited to Iran’s national under-15 volleyball team. After some years, he joined Shamoushak Gorgan, before joining Etka Gorgan, who were playing in Division 1 in Iran at the time.

Sepahan

At age 15, Azmoun joined Sepahan’s youth ranks. While he appeared for the club during their preseason friendlies abroad in Turkey, he did not make a professional appearance for the club as Sepahan won the 2011–12 Iran Pro League and lifted the trophy.

During the 2012–13 season, thanks to Azmoun’s great display in Iran’s youth team, Sardar became sought after by a couple of European clubs, namely Rubin Kazan. Azmoun became Iran’s youngest Legionnaire when later that year he transferred to Rubin Kazan at the age of 17.

Rubin Kazan

2013-2015 he has been playing for Rubin Kazan and for season 2018 again came back to the team.

Rostov

2015-2017 for Sardar was the season to play with Rostov.

Zenit Saint Petersburg

Season 2019, he signed a 3.5-year contract with the Russian team.

International Career

Youth

Azmoun broke out while representing the Iran U-20 side, becoming top scorer of the 2012 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup, scoring seven goals in six games. On 8 October 2013, he played for the U-20 team during the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship qualification in Kerman. In a match against Lebanon, he captained the team by scoring two goals, assisting one and drawing a penalty.

Azmoun was called into the U-23’s team for Olympic qualifiers in March 2015. He was the tournament’s leading goalscorer going into the final matchday with 4 goals in 3 matches. As the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship was not held during the FIFA International Match Calendar, he was not released by Rostov.

Senior

On 5 October 2013, Azmoun was called up to the Iranian national football team against Thailand by Carlos Queiroz. He was selected in Iran’s 28-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by Queiroz but was one of five players being dropped from the final squad.

Azmoun made his senior debut on 26 May 2014 in a friendly match against Montenegro, coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute for Reza Ghoochannejhad. However, Iran’s squad didn’t include him for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, announced on 1 June 2014. He scored his first goal on 18 November 2014 in a 1–0 friendly win over South Korea.

Carlos Queiroz called Azmoun into Iran’s 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad on 30 December 2014. Sardar scored a goal in the next match, a 1–0 friendly win over rivals Iraq. He then scored the winner in game of the Asian Cup with a great piece of individual skill against Qatar. Azmoun also opened the scoring against Iraq in the quarter-finals with a header.

On 16 June 2015, Azmoun scored a goal against Turkmenistan in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier. On 3 September 2015, he scored his first senior brace in a 6–0 defeat of Guam in the World Cup qualifiers. He scored his first hat-trick for Iranian national team in 3–0 win over Macedonia. Days later, he scored the first goal in Iran’s 2–0 win over Uzbekistan which secured qualification to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In June 2018 he was named in Iran’s final squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He made his first World Cup appearance in a 1–0 victory over Morocco in their first group stage match on 15 June.

Countinues ….

Sardar Azmoun retired from International football at the age of 23 just after Iran’s 2018 World Cup exit. Because of heavy criticism he faced from fans. The criticism worsened his mother’s illness and as a result, Azmoun chose to retire to be by his mother’s side.

In October 2018, Azmoun returned to the Iranian national team and They called him for 2019 AFC Asian Cup by Carlos Queiroz.

Style of Play

Azmoun has been praised for his aerial ability, creativity, and bursts of acceleration. He has been referred to as a young Zlatan Ibrahimović. And has also been called the Iranian Messi by mainly British media.

Ali Daei also calls Sardar Azmoun, the heir of legendary Iranian striker.