1. Internationally, Alireza Jahanbakhsh represented Iran at the FIFA World Cup in 2014,2018 and 2022, and the AFC Asian Cup in 2015,2019 and 2023.
30 Facts About Alireza Jahanbakhsh
1. 2.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh played for the nation at both the under-20 and under-21 levels.
3.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was born on 11 August 1993 in Jirandeh, a small city located in Rudbar County, Gilan Province.
4.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh grew up in Qazvin and is an ethnic Tat.
5.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh played most of his youth in Rasht and Persian Qazvin before joining the youth academy of Damash Tehran in 2008.
6.
In 2011, Alireza Jahanbakhsh returned to Gilan and at the age of 17.
7.
In 2011, Alireza Jahanbakhsh played his first game for Damash Gilan in the Iran Pro League against Mes as one of Damash's youngest ever players.
8.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh officially joined the club on 1 July 2013.
9.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh made his debut as a substitute in a league match against Groningen on 3 August 2013.
10.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was originally voted the Eredivisie's greatest talent of the season before becoming runner-up to Memphis Depay.
11.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh scored his first goal for AZ on 30 January 2016 in a match against his former club NEC.
12.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh scored another hat trick on the last match day to become the leading goal scorer of the Eredivisie season with 21 goals, and finished joint third with 12 assists.
13.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh became the first Asian player ever to become the top goalscorer in a top level European league.
14.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh announced on his Instagram that he will wear number 16, the same number he used to wear in his first season at NEC.
15.
On 11 August 2018, Alireza Jahanbakhsh made his debut for Brighton as a substitute in the club's opening match of the Premier League season against Watford.
16.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was overcome with emotion and was seen crying after scoring his first ever goal for his club.
17.
On 17 July 2021, Feyenoord announced that Alireza Jahanbakhsh had joined the club on a 3-year contract with an option for a fourth year.
18.
On 6 November 2024, Alireza Jahanbakhsh signed a contract with Dutch Eredivisie club SC Heerenveen until the end of the season.
19.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was part of the squad that played at the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship in China, playing in two games.
20.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was called into Iran's Olympic qualifiers in March 2015 and was named team captain.
21.
On 5 October 2013, Alireza Jahanbakhsh was called up to Team Melli in a 2015 Asian Cup qualifier against Thailand by manager Carlos Queiroz, and he served his first cap as a substitute in the 82nd minute.
22.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh played in all three matches against Nigeria, Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
23.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was called into Iran's 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad on 30 December 2014 by Queiroz.
24.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh played all three group matches against Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
25.
In December 2018, Alireza Jahanbakhsh was selected for Iran's 23-man squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
26.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh was called up for Iran's 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.
27.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh played in Iran's first two games against England and Wales.
28.
In Holland, Alireza Jahanbakhsh established himself as a dangerous and pacy player.
29.
In several interviews Alireza Jahanbakhsh revealed his life time dream is to play in Bundesliga, although there is huge interest in him from Italian and English sides declaring that as a kid he grew up watching his idols Ali Daei, Ali Karimi and Vahid Hashemian play for Bayern Munich and Mehdi Mahdavikia for Hamburger SV.
30.
In January 2020, Alireza Jahanbakhsh said that he posted on Instagram a photo of Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated by US at the 2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike, and that the post was taken down.