Mehdi Mahdavikia (مهدی مهدوی کیا) is an Iranian professional football coach and former player usually played as a right winger or right back. Born in 1977 in Shahr’e Rey, Mahdavikia played several sports as a youngster and was exceptionally talented at handball, even being named captain of Iran's under 14 team. He spent his early soccer years in Bank’e Melli’s youth system and eventually made it to their main roster, representing them in the second division.
Still a teenager, he signed with Tehran giants Persepolis in 1995 and would remain with them for four seasons, in three of which he would win the Azadegan League Championship (In the 1997-98 season, while Persepolis began the competition, however, they withdrew after 8 games due to international commitments of the players). Following an initial year of acclamation, he commanded a starting role in his second year. During his final year with Persepolis, he was loaned out in two different stints. Initially he joined Pas for their short run in the Asian Club Championship, before being loaned out to VfL Bochum in their unsuccessful attempt to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga. In spite of Bochum’s failure to retain the spot in the first division, Mahdavikia would catch the eye of fellow Bundesliga team Hamburg with which he would spend the next eight years of his career.
While during his stint with Hamburg they would not win the Bundesliga, however, they would twice come in third place. In a thrilling 4-4 tie with Juventus in the 2000-01 Champions League, Mahdaviakia would shine with a goal, an assist and by earning a penalty kick. With Hamburg he would win the DFB-Ligapokal in 2003 and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2005.
At the end of the 2006-07 season and having played over 250 games for Hamburg, he would then join fellow Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt on a 3-year contract. His career with Eintracht Frankfurt was riddled with injuries and limited game time. Midway through his third year, and without having gotten any playing time, Mahdavikia would return to Iran during the winter transfer window and sign with the free spending Steel Azin who had just been promoted to the Iran Pro League.
In spite of the big-name signings such as Mahdavikia, Zandi and Karimi, Steel Azin would finish in a disappointing fifth place. Despite getting a full season of games under his belt, his second season would end in disaster and relegation with the club glued firmly to the bottom of the table for nearly all 34 weeks. Mahdavikia would move north to Damash of Gilan for half of a season before rejoining Persepolis. He would play his last competitive game in the final of the 2012-13 Hazfi Cup in a losing effort against Sepahan, coming on as a sub for the final 5 minutes, before hanging up his boots at age 35.
After playing for Iran at the U20 and U23 level, Mahdavikia joined the full national team as a teenager in time for the 1996 Asian Championship, starting the opener and coming on as a late sub and two more matches. He would cement his spot on the team during the qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup where he would score four goals in the process. Mahdavikia would start all of Iran’s games at the World Cup, however, his most memorable one would be against the US. Mahdavikia would give Iran a 2-0 lead with a breakaway goal in the 83rd minute, sending Iranian players into a wild, hugging, kissing celebration.
“That goal was one of the biggest, most memorable and remarkable times in my life. I will never, ever forget that moment. I was young, it was a very important match in the World Cup, it was Iran against the U.S., it was the first win for Iran at the World Cup and so the whole recipe was there to make that a memorable cake for the rest of my life,” he would later reminisce.
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Later that year he would win gold at the last Asian Games to feature full national teams (from the 2002 edition onwards, U23 teams competed). He would participate in all qualifying games for the 2000 Asian Championship. He was part of the squad that would be eliminated in the 2000 Asian Championship, losing to South Korea in the quarterfinals. Mahdavikia would retain his spot in the squad in the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup, scoring and providing assists during the campaign although ultimately a last day shock defeat against Bahrain would send Iran to the playoffs where they would lose to Ireland.
Mahdavikia would play in some of the qualifiers for the 2004 Asian Championship but would be present in every game at the actual finals. While shining throughout the competition, he would have two particularly memorable games. During the quarterfinals Mahdavikia provided 3 assists (although one resulted in a Korean own goal) to help Iran to a 4-3 win. Later in the 3rd place match (which served as Iran’s revenge match against Bahrain after the 2002 World Cup qualifiers) after providing a further 2 assists in a 4-2 win, Mahdavikia locked horns with a Bahraini player over a violent challenge on Daei. He would subsequently receive his marching orders.
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Mahdavikia would take part in most of the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, scoring a pair of goals along the way. He would start every game at the 2006 World Cup and along with Daei become the first two Iranians to play in two separate World Cups. The campaign would end with a first-round elimination. With Daei’s subsequent retirement, Mahdavikia would become the team’s new captain.
Once again Mahdavikia would play sporadically and as needed enroute to qualification for the 2007 Asian Championship. He would play every game at the 2007 Asian Championship although he would miss his penalty kick in the shootout against South Korea in the quarterfinals in an eventual 4-2 loss and elimination.
In his last hurrah with the national team, Mahdavikia mainly played in the second round of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. In the final match day, facing South Korea away and needing a win to outright qualify, Iran would settle for a 1-1 tie and fail to advance. Several Iranian players, Mahdaviakia included, started the match wearing green armbands or wristbands, a symbol of protest at the outcome of the Iranian presidential election. Afterwards it was reported that Karimi, Mahdavikia, Kaebi, and Hashemian had received life bans from the Iranian FA for the gesture although the Iranian FA denied this claim. Nevertheless that would turn out to be Mahdavikia’s final cap.
Mahdavikia won the Asian Young Footballer of the Year award in 1997 as well as the Asian Footballer of the Year award in 2003. He played in a number of tributary matches that included Michael Ballack’s retirement match in 2013 and World Stars vs Arab Stars in 2021. Mahdavikia participated in Pious’s final match in 1997 in which Pious gave him his number 17 jersey to wear. In Mahdavikia’s own farewell match in 2013 between Persepolis XI and A.C. Milan XI, history repeated itself when Mahdavikia came on as a substitute and once again Pious gave his shirt to him.
Following his retirement Mahdavikia founded the KIA Football Academy. He became the technical manager of Iran’s U17 and U19 team Before joining Hamburg’s coaching ranks. Following a stint as Iran’s U23 coach, he was appointed Emirati club Al Jazira Al Hamra head coach.
