Torabi with Persepolis in 2021
Personal information
Full name Mehdi Torabi [1]
Date of birth (1994-09-10) 10 September 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth Eshtehard, Iran
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Persepolis
Number 9
Youth career
2012–2015 Saipa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2019 Saipa 118 (17)
2019–2020 Persepolis 40 (12)
2020–2021 Al-Arabi 9 (2)
2021– Persepolis 82 (14)
International career‡
2015–2016 Iran U23 6 (1)
2015– Iran 47 (7)
Medal record
Representing  Iran
CAFA Nations Cup
Winner 2023 Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 January 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 January 2024

Mehdi Torabi (Persian: مهدی ترابی; born 10 September 1994) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Persian Gulf Pro League club Persepolis and Iran national team.

Club career

Saipa

Torabi playing for Saipa against Persepolis in 2018

He started his career with Saipa from youth levels. He was promoted to the first team by Mojtaba Taghavi in summer 2012. He made his Persian Gulf Cup debut for Saipa in the 2013–14 season against Mes Kerman as a substitute. His subsequent performances were deemed worthy of a Team Melli call up.

Persepolis

On 1 July 2018, Torabi signed a three-year deal with Persepolis. He was sent on back on loan to Saipa for the first half of the season until Persepolis had served their transfer ban. On 16 December 2018, Torabi officially joined Persepolis' squad and was assigned the number 9.[2]

Torabi scored his first goal for Persepolis in a 3–2 victory over Saipa on 13 April 2019.[3]

International career

Youth level

He was invited to Iran U23 preliminary camp by Nelo Vingada.[4] He was included in the squad for the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship by coach Mohammad Khakpour and he scored his first goal of the tournament in the last group match against China from a 30-yard free kick.

Senior level

He made his debut against Uzbekistan on a friendly on 11 June 2015 where he scored the lone goal of the match. On 3 September 2015, Torabi came off the bench to score in a 6–0 victory against Guam. In May 2018 he was named in Iran's preliminary squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[5]

Personal life

Political views

Torabi has been known to be a supporter of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, having worn a shirt in support of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and wanting to offer him a football as a gift during the Mahsa Amini protests.[6][7][8] In 2019, Torabi lifted his shirt up with a message of support to the government during the 2019–2020 Iranian protests as well. The literal translation of his message was "The only path to salvation of country is to follow orders of ali khakizahi ".[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of 01 January 2024
Club Division Season League Hazfi Cup Asia Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Saipa Pro League 2013–14 5 0 0 0 — — 5 0
2014–15 23 1 2 0 25 1
2015–16 24 1 3 0 30 1
2016–17 25 4 2 0 22 4
2017–18 27 10 1 0 28 10
2018–19 14 1 2 3 16 4
Total 118 17 10 3 — — 128 20
Persepolis Pro League 2018–19 14 1 3 0 6 1 — 23 2
2019–20 26 11 4 1 2 0 32 12
Total 40 12 7 1 8 1 — 55 14
Al-Arabi QSL 2020–21 9 2 2 0 — — 11 2
Total 9 2 2 0 — — 11 2
Persepolis Pro League 2020–21 14 4 3 1 6 2 1 0 24 7
2021–22 26 3 2 1 2 1 0 0 30 5
2022–23 29 7 5 2 — — 34 9
2023–24 13 0 0 0 5 1 — 18 1
Total 82 14 10 4 13 4 1 0 106 22
Career totals 249 45 29 8 21 5 1 0 300 58

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 9 January 2024.[10]
Iran
Year Apps Goals
2015 7 3
2016 4 1
2017 2 0
2018 10 2
2019 7 0
2021 3 0
2022 6 1
2023 6 0
2024 2 0
Total 47 7

International goals

As of match played 10 November 2022. Iran score listed first, score column indicates score after each Torabi goal.[11]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 June 2015 Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan 1  Uzbekistan 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2. 3 September 2015 Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran 3  Guam 6–0 6–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3. 13 October 2015 5  Japan 1–0 1–1 Friendly
4. 7 June 2016 10  Kyrgyzstan 3–0 6–0
5. 11 September 2018 Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan 18  Uzbekistan 1–0 1–0
6. 16 October 2018 Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran 19  Bolivia 2–1 2–1
7. 10 November 2022 Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran 36  Nicaragua 1–0 1–0

Honours

Club

Persepolis

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: IR Iran (IRN)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 15. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ چک-تسویه-حساب-با-سایپا-برای-فسخ-قرارداد-ترابی-تحویل-شد[dead link]
  3. ^ "اولین گل ستاره پرسپولیس به تیم سابقش". www.yjc.ir (in Persian). Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  4. ^ "89 بازیکن در اردوی تیم فوتبال المپیک - سایت خبری تحلیلی تابناك". tabnak.ir. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  5. ^ "World Cup 2018: All the confirmed squads for this summer's finals in Russia".
  6. ^ "Iran Has More Than Just Soccer On Its Mind At The World Cup". defector.com. 1 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Solidarity with Iran revolution prominent across soccer world". World Soccer Talk.
  8. ^ "Ele vai: conheça Torabi, atacante habilidoso e adulador de líder supremo do Irã". br.noticias.yahoo.com.
  9. ^ "Footballers Tackle the Regime". iranwire.com.
  10. ^ Mehdi Torabi at National-Football-Teams.com
  11. ^ Mehdi Torabi at Soccerway

External links

Persepolis F.C. – current squad
Iran squads
Categories