Javad Nekounam

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Javad Nekounam
Personal information
Full name Javad Nekounam
Date of birth September 7, 1980 (age 26)
Place of birth    Flag of Iran Ray, Iran
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Defensive Midfielder
Club information
Current club Flag of Spain CA Osasuna
Number 24
Youth clubs
Flag of Iran Saipa
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1998-2005
2005-2006
2006
2006-
Flag of Iran Pas F.C.
Flag of United Arab Emirates Al Wahda
Flag of United Arab Emirates Sharjah FC
Flag of Spain CA Osasuna
(33)
? (3)
? (5)
19 (1)   
National team2
2000- Flag of Iran Iran 80 (14)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 18 March 2007.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 24 March 2007.
* Appearances (Goals)

Javad Nekounam (Persian: جواد نکونام‎ , born September 7, 1980 in Ray, Iran) is an Iranian football player who currently plays for CA Osasuna in La Liga and the Iran national football team. He usually plays in the defensive midfielder position. He is best known for his passing ability, ball distribution, and powerful long range shots, often from outside the 18 yard box.

Contents

[edit] Club career

Having played for Pas F.C. for several years, in 2005 Javad Nekounam signed a 5 month contract to play for Al Wahda in the UAE for $1M.[1] In January 2006 he joined another UAE club, Sharjah FC, although some European clubs such as Kaiserslautern and Tottenham Hotspur had shown interest in him.

After his performance at the 2006 FIFA World Cup many clubs in Europe have been in the running to sign him, but in the end La Liga side CA Osasuna signed Nekounam on a two-year contract.[2] The contract can be extended one more year with the player and club's agreement. Nekounam also has a €5 million minimum release-fee clause on his contract. He is the first Iranian player to be signed by a La Liga club. Nekounam was mainly targeted by Hertha BSC Berlin of the German Bundesliga and Lyon of Ligue 1 but he chose to go to Spain instead.

On February 22, 2007, Nekounam scored a vital goal in the last 20 seconds of extra time in the UEFA Cup match against Bordeaux, helping Osasuna move to the round of 16.

[edit] Club career statistics

Last update: 21 March 2007

Season Team Country Division Apps Goals
98/99 Pas Iran 1 23 2
99/00 Pas Iran 1 24 5
00/01 Pas Iran 1 21 5
01/02 Pas Iran 1 ?? 4
02/03 Pas Iran 1 ?? 7
03/04 Pas Iran 1 ?? 10
04/05 Pas Iran 1 ?? 9
05/06 Al-Wahda United Arab Emirates 1 11 3
05/06 Al-Sharjah United Arab Emirates 1 ?? 5
06/07 Osasuna Spain 1 19 1

[edit] International career

He began his professional career in Pas football club. He eventually made it to the starting lineup and after consistent impressive displays he was called up to the Iranian national team in May 2000. He soon became a starter for the national team during the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers. He has not lost his position since then and played in two of Iran's games during World Cup 2006 in Germany.

As of March 2007, he has 80 caps with Iran and has scored 14 goals for Team Melli.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Nekounam states Euro ambition. SkySports.com. Retrieved on April 7, 2007.
  2. ^ Osasuna sign Javad Nekounam. PersianFootball. Retrieved on July 7, 2006.

[edit] External links


Flag of Iran Iran squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup Flag of Iran

1 Mirzapour | 2 Mahdavikia | 3 Bakhtiarizadeh | 4 Golmohammadi | 5 Rezaei | 6 Nekounam | 7 Zandi | 8 Karimi | 9 Hashemian | 10 Daei | 11 Khatibi | 12 Roudbarian | 13 Ka'abi | 14 Teymourian | 15 Borhani | 16 Enayati | 17 Kazemian | 18 Navidkia | 19 Sadeqi | 20 Nosrati | 21 Madanchi | 22 Talebloo | 23 Shojaei | Coach: Ivanković

CA Osasuna - Current Squad

1 Elía | 2 Izquierdo | 3 Monreal | 4 M. Flaño | 5 Cuéllar | 6 Raúl García | 7 Cruchaga | 8 Romeo | 9 Milošević | 10 Puñal | 11 Valdo | 12 Juanfran | 13 Ricardo | 14 Josetxo | 15 Webó | 16 David López | 17 J. Flaño | 18 Soldado | 19 Corrales | 20 Juanlu | 21 Font | 22 Muñoz | 23 Delporte | 24 Nekounam | 26 Penedo | 33 Echaide | 35 Erice | 40 Azpilicueta | Coach Ziganda