Moharram Navidkia

Moharram Navidkia (Persian: محرم نویدکیا, born 1 November 1982 in Isfahan, Iran) is an Iranian retired footballer, and was lately the head coach of Sepahan in Persian Gulf Pro League from 2020 to 2022.

Moharram Navidkia
Navidkia in 2021
Personal information
Full name Moharram Navidkia[1]
Date of birth (1982-11-01) 1 November 1982
Place of birth Isfahan, Iran
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
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
Medal record
Representing  Iran
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 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

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 football club 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
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
1998–99SepahanAzadegan League80–80
1999–00100100
2000–01180180
2001–02Iran Pro League240240
2002–0324122412
2003–0422660286
Germany League DFB-Pokal Europe Total
2004–05VfL BochumBundesliga0000–00
2005–062. Bundesliga10020–120
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
2005–06SepahanIran Pro League11340–153
2006–07914061192
2007–0881000081
2008–091240040164
2009–102001050260
2010–112432071334
2011–122921090392
2012–132985030378
2013–1451004091
2014–1511010–120
2015–161102010140
2016–177000–70
Total Iran 2824120045234743
Germany 10020––120
Career total 2924122045235943
  • Assist Goals
SeasonTeamAssists
2005–06Sepahan1
2007–08Sepahan2
2008–09Sepahan2
2009–10Sepahan2
2010–11Sepahan3
2011–12Sepahan3
2012–13Sepahan1
2013–14Sepahan2
2014–15Sepahan1
2015–16Sepahan1

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.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
127 October 2003Kim Il-Sung Stadium, Pyongyang North Korea3–13–12004 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Managerial record
As of match played 23 June 2022
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref.
PWDLWin %
Sepahan 6 September 2020 23 June 2022 71 39 19 13 054.93
Total 71 39 19 13 054.93

Awards and honours

Player
Sepahan
Iran U-23
Iran
Individual

Manager
Sepahan

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.
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