Sardar Azmoun
People call Sardar Azmoun the “Iranian Messi.” He’s now one of the most popular Iranian soccer players of his time. His great skills on the field and impressive numbers have made him well-known in both club games and international matches. Soccer fans around the world love watching Azmoun’s journey from a young talent with potential to a star player in top European leagues.
Throughout his career, Azmoun has displayed his skill in many areas of the game. His showings in the UEFA Champions League have cemented his status as a top-tier striker.
Also, his input to the Iranian national team, including his role in the 2018 World Cup, has played a key part in boosting the image of Iranian football worldwide. This article explores Azmoun’s early days, his triumphs with the national team, and his best years at Zenit Saint Petersburg showcasing the feats that have made him a star in football.
Early Career and Rise to Prominence
Youth Career in Iran
Sardar Azmoun started playing soccer as a kid in Iran. He first got into the game during a family trip to Turkmenistan when he was nine. In his early days, Azmoun didn’t just stick to soccer. He was also good at volleyball following his dad Khalil’s example. Khalil had played for Iran’s national volleyball team. This mix of sports later helped Azmoun become quick and athletic on the soccer field.
Azmoun’s soccer career took shape as he moved up through different youth teams in Iran. He began with Oghab Gonbad from Gonbad-e Kavus then went to Shamoushak Gorgan and Etka Gorgan. People spotted his skill on, and he soon grabbed the attention of talent scouts and trainers.
When Azmoun turned 15, he joined Sepahan’s youth program. Sepahan stands as one of Iran’s top clubs. He played in pre-season friendly matches with the team in Turkey. However, he never stepped onto the field for Sepahan’s main squad in a professional game. His showings on Iran’s youth teams caught the eye of European clubs. This paved the way for his future international career.
Professional Debut with Rubin Kazan
In January 2013, Azmoun’s career changed direction when Russian team Rubin Kazan offered him a spot. He had options from big Iranian clubs Persepolis and Esteghlal, and Sepahan might have given him a first-team contract. But Azmoun decided to join Rubin Kazan to work with Kurban Berdyev, a coach who spoke Turkmen. This choice made Azmoun the first Iranian soccer player in the Russian Premier League, which was a big deal for Iranian soccer.
Azmoun played his first professional game on July 25, 2013, during a UEFA Europa League match against Jagodina. He entered the field as a substitute in the 73rd minute of Rubin’s 1-0 win. He showed his skills scoring his first goal for the main team in his second game. This happened in a 3-0 Europa League victory over Molde on August 29, 2013.
The young Iranian made quite a splash in his league debut. On October 6, 2013, Azmoun stepped onto the field as a substitute in the 72nd minute. He then proceeded to score a goal and set up another in a 5-1 win over Anzhi Makhachkala. This strong showing gave a glimpse of his skills and suggested the big role he’d play in the years to come.
Breakthrough at FC Rostov
While Azmoun showed potential at Rubin Kazan, his big break came during a loan stint at FC Rostov. On February 26, 2015, he inked a three-and-a-half-month loan agreement with the Russian Premier League club, which was fighting to avoid relegation. Azmoun wasted no time making an impact. On March 16, he scored the winning goal in the 88th minute against Kuban Krasnodar just moments after stepping onto the field as a substitute.
His performances kept turning heads, with another goal on April 26, 2015, in Rostov’s 2-2 tie against Dynamo Moscow. These efforts landed him a spot on the Russian Premier League Team of the Week showing his rising impact on the league.
Azmoun had his biggest influence on Rostov during the relegation play-offs. On June 7, he netted the goal that kept Rostov in the top division solidifying his role as a crucial team member. This showing prompted Rostov to make his loan deal permanent, though the transfer wasn’t smooth sailing. It sparked a disagreement with Rubin Kazan, which the Court of Arbitration for Sport settled.
The 2015-16 season marked Azmoun’s breakthrough. He netted six goals in the final six matches playing a key part in Rostov’s surprise title challenge and helping secure a prized Champions League place. His displays in this stretch led to people calling him the “Iranian Messi,” showing how much his skills and on-field impact impressed others.
Success with Iran’s National Team
First Cap and Early Games
Sardar Azmoun started playing for the Iranian national team in 2014 when he first stepped onto the field at 19 years old. His first game was against Montenegro kicking off what looked like a bright future on the international stage. He didn’t make it to the 2014 FIFA World Cup team, but Azmoun soon became an important player for Iran in the years that followed.
The young forward had an immediate impact on the team when he scored his first international goal during a friendly game against South Korea on November 18, 2014. This performance established Azmoun’s role as a consistent goalscorer for his country. His knack for putting the ball in the net led to his nickname “Iranian Messi,” which shows how skilled he is and how much he means to the team.
World Cup Appearances
Azmoun got his first World Cup experience in the 2018 tournament in Russia. Iran picked him for their final squad, and he played his first World Cup game on June 15 in a 1-0 win against Morocco to start the group stage. This game marked a big step in Azmoun’s career, as he played for his country in the world’s top football event.
During the 2018 World Cup, Azmoun played in all three of Iran’s group matches. He started each game against Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. Though he didn’t score any goals, his role on the field was key to Iran’s game plan.
Azmoun played in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for the second time. He took part in all three of Iran’s group stage games and started two. Azmoun remained crucial to Iran’s offense even when facing strong teams like England and the USA.
Asian Cup Achievements
Azmoun has shown remarkable performances in the AFC Asian Cup. Coach Carlos Queiroz picked him for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad, which marked his first big international event. The young forward made a splash right away scoring a vital goal against Qatar in Iran’s second group stage match. His solo effort to score the winning goal highlighted his talent on the world stage.
In the 2015 tournament, Azmoun kept turning heads. He kicked off the scoring with a header in the quarter-finals against Iraq. Even though Iran didn’t clinch the title, Azmoun’s play showed how much the national team relied on him.
The 2019 AFC Asian Cup saw Azmoun solidify his role as Iran’s top striker. He began the tournament with a bang finding the net in the opening 5-0 win against Yemen. He and Mehdi Taremi worked well together spearheading Iran’s attack throughout the competition.
One of Azmoun’s standout moments in the 2019 Asian Cup happened in the quarter-finals against China. He showed great awareness and skill taking advantage of a defensive mistake to score Iran’s second goal in a 3-0 win. This performance helped push Iran to the semi-finals where Japan beat them.
Azmoun’s impact on the Iranian national team goes beyond big tournaments. In World Cup qualifiers, he has played well scoring key goals to help Iran earn their spot in the finals. He scored an impressive 10 goals in 13 matches during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers cementing his position as the team’s main scoring threat.
As of 2023, Azmoun has scored 47 goals in 73 games for Iran. This number puts him among the best goal-scorers in Iranian national team history. It shows how consistent and valuable he has been to the team over time.
Club Career Peak at Zenit Saint Petersburg
Transfer and Impact
Sardar Azmoun’s career hit a high point when he joined Zenit Saint Petersburg on February 1, 2019. He signed a 3.5-year contract. The Iranian striker made a big splash at his new club right away. He showed off his knack for scoring in his first start for Zenit. In a UEFA Europa League Round of 32 game against Fenerbahçe, Azmoun scored twice and set up another goal. This performance earned him the UEFA Player of the Week award.
His great form didn’t stop there. In the Russian Premier League, he scored the winning goal when he first played for Zenit against Ural Yekaterinburg on March 2, 2019. Azmoun’s knack for scoring goals made him crucial for Zenit. This became clear on March 31, 2019 when he scored twice at home against FC Orenburg.
Titles and Individual Awards
Azmoun’s stint at Zenit Saint Petersburg has seen both team wins and personal recognition. He played a key part in Zenit’s four straight Russian Premier League title wins from 2019 to 2022. Besides league success, Azmoun helped the team grab two Russian Super Cups in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. The team also bagged the Russian Cup in 2020 with his help.
The Iranian striker’s solo efforts caught people’s attention. In the 2019/20 season, Azmoun ended up tied for first place in scoring in the Russian Premier League with 17 goals matching his teammate Artem Dzyuba. His steady goal-getting and overall impact on the team’s wins led fans to vote him Russian Premier League Player of the Season for the 2020/21 run.
Record-Breaking Performances
Azmoun’s stint at Zenit also had an impact on European competitions. He scored the opening goal of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage on September 17, 2019, during his Champions League debut for Zenit against Olympique Lyonnais. He strengthened his reputation as a goal-scoring machine in European competitions by finding the net against Benfica in the next match. This achievement put him ahead of Iranian icons Mehdi Mahdavikia and Ali Daei making him the top Iranian goal scorer in the UEFA Champions League with four goals.
The 2019/20 season stands out as a remarkable one for Azmoun. On July 5, 2020, he found the net twice in a 4-2 win against FC Krasnodar, which helped Zenit clinch their second straight Russian Premier League title. He kept scoring goals right up to the last day of the season when he got his 17th league goal. This put him on par with Artem Dzyuba as the league’s top scorer.
Azmoun’s goal-scoring skills peaked in the 2020/21 season. He netted a hat-trick on May 2, 2021, during Zenit’s 6-1 win over second-place Lokomotiv Moscow. This brought his league tally to 19 goals and helped Zenit grab their third straight title. Dzyuba beat him as the league’s top scorer on the final day, but Azmoun’s efforts throughout the season played a key role in Zenit’s triumph.
The Iranian forward’s stint at Zenit Saint Petersburg has cemented his standing as one of the top goal-getters in Russian soccer. His steady showings, in both home leagues and European tournaments, have had a big impact on Zenit’s control of Russian soccer .
Conclusion
Sardar Azmoun’s path from a bright young prospect in Iran to a standout player in Europe’s top leagues shows his amazing growth and influence on soccer worldwide. His accomplishments with Iran’s national team, including his showings in World Cups and Asian Cups, have helped boost Iranian soccer’s image across the globe. Also, his triumphs at the club level during his best years at Zenit Saint Petersburg, have proven he’s one of the most talented forwards of his time.
Azmoun’s career highlights, from his early successes to his record-setting performances, show a player who has always stepped up to challenges and done better than expected. His knack for scoring goals, along with his ability to shine in big games, has made him crucial for both his club and country. As Azmoun keeps playing football, what he’s done so far hints that he’ll continue to have a big effect on the sport pushing future Iranian footballers to aim for worldwide success.
