| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht | |||||||||||
| Date of birth | 30 June 1980 | |||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mashhad, Iran | |||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||
| Current club | Paykan | |||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||
| 1995-1998 | Aboomoslem | |||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Aboomoslem | 30 | (6) | |||||||||
| 1999–2006 | Esteghlal | 138 | (22) | |||||||||
| 2005 | → Al-Wasl (loan) | ? | (1) | |||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Persepolis | 85 | (26) | |||||||||
| 2009 | Tractor Sazi[1][2] | 0 | (0) | |||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Steel Azin | 8 | (0) | |||||||||
| 2010 | Saba Qom | 14 | (1) | |||||||||
| 2011– | Paykan | 11 | (1) | |||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||
| 2002 | Iran U23 | 6 | (5) | |||||||||
| 2000–2008 | Iran | 77 | (14) | |||||||||
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Honours
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| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 December 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht (Persian: علیرضا واحدی نیکبخت, born 30 June 1980 in Mashhad) is an Iranian professional football player.
Contents |
Starting out in F.C. Aboomoslem and then being transferred to Esteghlal F.C., he improved in a short period of time. His excellent performance for his club eventually lead to his inclusion in the national squad.
He has experience with UAE club Al-Wasl, and has had trials with Atlético Madrid and Fenerbahce. He had signed on with Fenerbahce in 2004 and had even practised with the team getting ready for the upcoming season in the Turkish league, but the deal was canceled before the starting of the season. Nikbakht was instrumental in helping Esteghlal grab the 2005-2006 Iranian Premier League championship with an electrifying display in the win over Bargh Shiraz. The win resulted in Esteghlal (59 points) edging Pas (58 points) for the IPL championship.
In June 2006 he signed a two-year contract with Esteghlal's fierce rival, Persepolis which caused him to lose his popularity among Esteghlal fans. He played in the final of the Hazfi Cup for Persepolis F.C. and scored for Persepolis F.C. in first match but missed a penalty in the second leg .In the 2006/2007 season in Persepolis, Nikbakht played as a forward, which made him score 8 goals in 25 appearances and have 8 assists in the league.In his second season for Persepolis F.C. he won the league and had his best season of his career with 9 goals and 7 assists.[3]
In January 2008, Nikbakht was invited to go on a trial with Sheffield United.[4] He was the most influential player after Ali Karimi for Persepolis F.C. in 2008-09 season.
As of 26 July 2011, he is playing for Paykan in Azadegan League.
| Club performance | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Iran | League | Hazfi Cup | Asia | Total | ||||||
| 1998-99 | Aboomoslem | Division 1 | 30 | 6 | - | - | ||||
| 1999-00 | Esteghlal | 26 | 3 | - | - | |||||
| 2000-01 | 18 | 5 | - | - | ||||||
| 2001-02 | Iran Pro League | 19[5] | 2 | 7 | 6 | |||||
| 2002-03 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| 2003-04 | 16 | 3 | - | - | ||||||
| 2004-05 | 13 | 2 | - | - | ||||||
| United Arab Emirates | League | President's Cup | Asia | Total | ||||||
| 2004-05 | Al-Wasl | UAE League | 1 | - | - | |||||
| Iran | League | Hazfi Cup | Asia | Total | ||||||
| 2005-06 | Esteghlal | Iran Pro League | 25 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 26 | 2 |
| 2006-07 | Persepolis | 25 | 8 | 5 | 4 | - | - | 30 | 12 | |
| 2007-08 | 31 | 9 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 34 | 12 | ||
| 2008-09 | 29 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 37 | 11 | ||
| 2009-10 | Tractor Sazi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | |
| Steel Azin | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2010-11 | Saba | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 15 | 2 | |
| 2011-12 | Paykan | Division 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 11 | 1 |
| Total | Iran | 287 | 56 | 16 | 8 | |||||
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| Career total | 57 | 16 | 8[6] | |||||||
| Season | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 05/06 | Esteghlal | 4 |
| 06/07 | Persepolis | 8 |
| 07/08 | Persepolis | 7 |
| 08/09 | Persepolis | 4 |
| 10/11 | Saba | 3 |
He made his first appearance for Iran in a World Cup qualifying game against Guam in Tabriz in December 2000. He scored on his debut.
Nikbakht's performance in the national squad was instrumental in Iran's progress to the next WC qualifying round. However, his disciplinary problems has created difficulties for the national team coaches and he is often viewed as a primadonna. Nonetheless, his darting runs on the flanks and his pace continues to be a great asset for his team, and most fans will not forget his winning goal in a crucial World Cup 2006 qualifer against Jordan. He won the 2002 Asian Games and 2004 West Asian Football Federation Championship with Team Melli.
There had been rampant speculation that an in form Nikbaht would definitely make Branko Ivanković's final 23 men list for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Branko Ivanković had himself alluded to this by stating that "I love Nikbaht" in an interview, but that his hitherto out-of-form play was the major impediment for him reclaiming his spot in Team Melli. Many had tagged him as the saviour for Iran's left-back defensive complications as he is naturally left-footed, good physique, quick with his feet, a goal-getter and a workhorse. Unfortunately for him, an old injury caused him to be crossed off the main squad heading to Germany, and he was instead placed on the reserves list.
Another injury forced him be disqualified from Iran's squad for the 2007 Asian Cup, but he is back to join Team Melli in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
After a heated dispute with Federation official Komiteye Enzebati, Nikbakht was axed from playing for national team for the rest of his career. This marks the second time the player has been penalised for behaivour problems.