Moharram Navidkia

Moharram Navidkia

Navidkia in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Moharram Navidkia [1]
Date of birth	(1982-11-01) 1 November 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth	Isfahan, Iran
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Mes Rafsanjan (Manager)
Youth career
1996–1998	Sepahan
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2004	Sepahan	106	(1)
2004–2006	VfL Bochum	10	(0)
2006–2016	Sepahan	176	(23)
Total		292	(41)
International career‡
2001–2003	Iran U23	14	(2)
2002–2009	Iran	25	(1)
Managerial career
2015	Sepahan (interim player-manager)
2020–2022	Sepahan
2024	Mes Rafsanjan
Medal record Representing   Iran Asian Games 2002 Busan Team Competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 May 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of ^1 Apps and Caps only includes 2002–03 onwards

Moharram Navidkia (Persian : محرم نویدکیا, born 1 November 1982 in Isfahan, Iran) is an Iranian retired footballer, who last coached Mes Rafsanjan in Persian Gulf Pro League.

He played for the club for 18 years and was its captain. He usually played as a midfielder. During his career, he dealt with consecutive injuries, which made him unable to regain his top form. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

As an international player, he was the former captain of the Iran under-23 team and collected 25 caps for the senior team of Iran, before bidding his farewell in December 2009. ^[5] His brother, Rasoul Navidkia is also a professional footballer who plays in Sepahan. ^[6]

Early years

His original last name was Ghara Gozlu which he changed later to Navidkia. He is an ethnic Azeri ^[7] originally from Marand, East Azerbaijan. ^[8]

Club career

Navidkia with Sepahan in 2014

He began his career at Sepahan in 1998. From 1998 to 2002 he played as the defensive midfielder, while from 2002 and by the suggestion of Farhad Kazemi his playing post has been changed to attacking midfielder. He managed to attract attention during the 2002–03 Iran Premier League season while playing for a team many at first thought to be average, but they won the championship title at the end.

He was selected the best player of IPL for the 2003–04 season and was considered one of the best Iranian players despite his young age. Due to his potential talent, young age, and impressive performances, he was transferred to VfL Bochum ^[9] even though he was injured at the time of the signing.

He was not able to recover his old form, and went back to Sepahan in 2006 on loan. ^[10] After the World Cup in Germany, Navidkia signed a contract with Sepahan again. He had difficulties with the injuries during his career in Sepahan and finally in the 2009–10 season he had his most stable season after a few years. He retired from football on 17 October 2016, after playing 16 years at Sepahan.

Club career statistics

• Last Update: 11 May 2019

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	Sepahan	Azadegan League	8	0			–		8	0
1999–00			10	0					10	0
2000–01			18	0					18	0
2001–02		Iran Pro League	24	0					24	0
2002–03			24	12					24	12
2003–04			22	6			6	0	28	6
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Europe		Total
2004–05	VfL Bochum	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
2005–06		2. Bundesliga	10	0	2	0	–		12	0
Iran			League		Hazfi Cup		Asia		Total
2005–06	Sepahan	Iran Pro League	11	3	4	0	–		15	3
2006–07			9	1	4	0	6	1	19	2
2007–08			8	1	0	0	0	0	8	1
2008–09			12	4	0	0	4	0	16	4
2009–10			20	0	1	0	5	0	26	0
2010–11			24	3	2	0	7	1	33	4
2011–12			29	2	1	0	9	0	39	2
2012–13			29	8	5	0	3	0	37	8
2013–14			5	1	0	0	4	0	9	1
2014–15			11	0	1	0	–		12	0
2015–16			11	0	2	0	1	0	14	0
2016–17			7	0	0	0	–		7	0
Total	Iran		282	41	20	0	45	2	347	43
	Germany		10	0	2	0	–	–	12	0
Career total			292	41	22	0	45	2	359	43

• Assist Goals

Season	Team	Assists
2005–06	Sepahan	1
2007–08	Sepahan	2
2008–09	Sepahan	2
2009–10	Sepahan	2
2010–11	Sepahan	3
2011–12	Sepahan	3
2012–13	Sepahan	1
2013–14	Sepahan	2
2014–15	Sepahan	1
2015–16	Sepahan	1

International career

He was first selected to the national team during the West Asian Football Federation tournament in 2002, which was held in Syria. He made his debut for Iran against Jordan in August 2002. His biggest achievement was winning the gold medal of the 2002 Asian Games with Iran U-23 in Busan, where he continued his impressive display during the games. He played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification for Team Melli.

Having been selected among Iran's reserve men for the 2006 World Cup, he was called up to join the team in Germany to replace injured Sattar Zare. He bid his farewell to national team in December 2009. ^[5] In May 2011, he was called up to Iran national team by Carlos Queiroz, but he rejected the offer due to his "several injuries and surgeries" which makes him unable to play for both national team and club. ^[11]

International goals

Scores and results list Iran's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 October 2003	Kim Il-Sung Stadium, Pyongyang	North Korea	3–1	3–1	2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Managerial record

As of match played 23 June 2022

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record					Ref.
			P	W	D	L	Win %
Sepahan	6 September 2020	23 June 2022	71	39	19	13	054.93
Mes Rafsanjan	3 February 2024	12 October 2024	26	9	10	7	034.62
Total			97	48	29	20	049.48

Awards and honours

Player

Sepahan

• Iran Pro League (5): 2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15
• Hazfi Cup (4): 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2012–13
• AFC Champions League Runner-up: 2007

Iran U-23

• Asian Games: 2002

Iran

• WAFF Bronze medal: 2002

Individual

• Football Iran News & Events Player of the season: 2002–03, 2012–13
• Iranian Footballer of the Year: 2003, 2013

Manager

Sepahan

• Persian Gulf Pro League: Runner-up 2020–21

Mes Rafsanjan

• Hazfi Cup: Runner-up 2023–24

References

1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Iran" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
2. "I suffer wrong diagnosis, Navidkia says". persianfootball.com. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
3. Mahoob, Kaveh. "Quick Study of Branko's Provisional Squad". footballmedia.net. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
4. محرم نويدكيا: دامداري بعد از فوتبال! (in Persian). iranpress.ir. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
5. "Navidkia bids farewell to Iran football". Tehran Times. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
6. رسول نویدکیا:هیچ وقت نمی توانم کنار محرم بازی کنم (in Persian). Goal. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
7. با برترین بازیکن لیگ دوازدهم/زیبای ترک فوتبال اصفهان (in Persian). Goal. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
8. صحبت های جنجالی نویدکیا در مورد حواشی تیم سپاهان (in Persian). Varzesh3. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
9. "Moharram Navidkia" (in German). VfL Bochum. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
10. "Navidkia back to Sepahan on loan!". PersianLeague.com. 11 January 2006. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
11. محرم نویدکیا بازهم به تیم ملی نیامد/ابراهیمی و عرب دعوت شدند (in Persian). Goal. 30 May 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2012.

External links

• Moharram Navidkia at TeamMelli.com