Esteghlal Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال استقلال; commonly known as Esteghlal, is the oldest Iranian professional football club based in Tehran that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The club was founded in 1945 as 'The Cyclists' and was known as Tâj between 1949 and 1979. The club is part of the multisport club Esteghlal Athletic and Cultural Company of Iran They were the first team to reach 1,000 points in Persian Gulf Pro League.
Nasser Hejazi, nicknamed "the legendary Iranian goalkeeper", was an Iranian football player and coach who most notably played for Esteghlal (Taj).
Persepolis Football Club is an Iranian professional football club based in Tehran that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. Persepolis F.C. is the football club of the multisport Persepolis Athletic and Cultural Club. The club was owned by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports until April 2024 when, due to Asian Football Confederation licensing regulations, an 85% majority ownership stake was transferred to a consortium of six Iranian banks. Ten percent of the club's share is publicly available on the Tehran Stock Exchange.
Ahmadreza Abedzadeh is an Iranian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played for Esteghlal, Sepahan, Persepolis and the Iranian national team. He made 78 appearances for Iran, and played for his country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Arash Borhani is a retired Iranian football player and coach. He is the all-time top goal scorer of Esteghlal and also the second all-time top goal scorer in Iran's Premier Football League. He was the top goal scorer of 2008–09 Iran's Premier Football League. He was also a member of the Iran national football team. Borhani won a bronze medal in 2006 Asian Games with Iran national under-23 football team.
Gholam Reza Enayati is an Iranian football manager and former player. Enayati played as a striker in the Persian Gulf Pro League and for the Iran national football team. He is the all-time top goalscorer in the Persian Gulf Pro League. He is regarded as one of the best football managers of all the time.
Ardeshir "Amir" Ghalenoei is an Iranian football coach and former player who currently manages Iran national football team. He has been the most successful coach in the Iran Pro League and managed several clubs, including Esteghlal, Mes Kerman, Sepahan S.C. and Tractor, with two of which he won a total of five championships and two Hazfi Cup titles. He was also the head coach of Iran national football team from August 2006 to July 2007 where he managed the team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup where Iran was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Saeid Lotfi is a former Iranian football player, who played in IPL team Esteghlal and Paykan. He usually played as a defender.
Farhad Majidi is an Iranian football coach and former player who most recently managed Al-Ittihad Kalba.
Siavash Akbarpour is an Iranian former footballer and current coach.
Nassaji MazandaranFootball Club is an Iranian football club based in Qa'em Shahr, Mazandaran. They currently compete in the Persian Gulf Pro League.
Tractor Cultural Sports Economic Club, commonly known as Tractor, formerly Tractor Sazi, is an Iranian professional football club based in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, that competes in the Persian Gulf Pro League. The club was founded in 1970 by the Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company.
Seyed Mehdi Rahmati Oskuei is an Iranian football coach and former player who currently manages Havadar S.C. in the Persian Gulf Pro League. He played for the Iran national team between 2004 and 2013.
Milad Meydavoudi is an Iranian football player, who last played for Naft Masjed Soleyman in Persian Gulf Pro League. He was appointed as assistant coach of Khooshe Talaei Saveh F.C.
Mansour Pourheidari was an Iranian football player, coach and manager.
Firouz Karimi is an Iranian football coach and former player.
Parviz Mazloomi is a former Iranian footballer who is the team manager of the Esteghlal. He played for Esteghlal and Tractor Sazi in the 1970s and 1980s. He also managed many clubs such as Saba Battery, Sanat Naft, Aboumoslem, Mes Kerman and Esteghlal. He was also head coach of Iran B team in 2007 West Asian Football Federation Championship which won the title.
The history of Persepolis F.C. begins from the football club's founding in 1968 up until the present day. Persepolis F.C., also known as Red Army, is based in Tehran, Iran.
The rivalry between Esteghlal and Sepahan is a football rivalry played between Iranian football clubs Esteghlal Tehran and Sepahan Isfahan.
