FRANCE 98 – Iran – A. Mansourian: “Thanks to the World Cup the whole world can discover our country”

Ali Reza MANSOURIAN (7), IRAN (group F) midfielder was born 2 December 1971 in Teheran. His family lived in the poor quarter of the city and he first got to kick a football at the age of seven on the waste grounds.

Very quickly spotted by the big Iranian clubs he joined Esteghlal, one of the famous Asian teams. At 24, he celebrated his first national selection in 1995. After playing for several months for Geyland United, Singapore, he returned at the end of the last season to Esteghlal because he loved the club “.

Next season, Ali Reza MANSOURIAN will play in Germany. First of all contacted by Borussia Dortmund, he finally decided to go to Hamburg for two years and will be the fourth Iranian player in Bundesliga:

” The main reason I chose Germany is for the sport. I have always dreamed of playing there. Money is not to be forgotten even if some Arab clubs offer me as much “. In Europe, Ali Reza will earn as much in one year as in five seasons in IRAN, the only country in the World Cup without professional football players.

Even if IRAN mainly comprises amateurs, Ali Reza ” was not at all surprised by the good match his team played against YUGOSLAVIA”. In his opinion, the thousand of Iranian supporters at SAINT-ETIENNE helped his team: “It was just like playing on our pitch in Teheran “.

Ali Reza MANSOURIAN only played part of the match against YUGOSLAVIA, but hopes to play the whole against the USA on Sunday 21 June in LYON at 9 pm: He declared ” This will be a match like any other one even if many think otherwise. Thanks to the World Cup the whole world can discover our country; we realise that we are ambassadors. Back home all that counts is the game “