Legendary Iranian Goalkeeper Nasser Hejazi Laid to Rest in Tehran

More than 20,000 people turned out in Tehran today for the funeral of legendary goalkeeper Nasser Hejazi. He passed away Monday, aged 61, after battling lung cancer.

Known as the "Eagle of Asia" for his soaring ability between the nets, Hejazi played for Iran in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina and, but for the upheaval surrounding the 1979 Iranian Revolution, could have played for Manchester United.

After the World Cup, then-Manchester United manager Dave Sexton offered him a trial at the club and he even played in a reserve team match against Stoke City. United were reportedly on the verge of signing him but due to the tumultuous situation back home, the Iranian Football Federation were unable to grant Hejazi permission in time to sign a contract with United and the club signed Gary Bailey instead.

Recently, current Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson sent him a get well note:

“I was sorry to hear that you have not been feeling too well. I just thought I would drop you a line on behalf of the players and staff, as I wanted you to know that we are all thinking about you. On a personal note, I would like to thank you for your loyal support and devotion to the club over the years, which is very much appreciated," Ferguson wrote in the letter.

And Hejazi sent a heartfelt response a few days later:

“Dear Sir Alex Ferguson, Something has always puzzled me all my life. Why is it that when I am in special need of help, the kind gesture usually comes from unexpected corners? I received your letter expressing kindness in a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Being in your thoughts and prayers comforts me and keeps me going. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, the heart that has no bottom. For the concern you have shown, I have no other words but to say thank you very much.”

After his passing, Hejazi’s body was kept in state at Iran’s national Azadi Stadium in Tehran where fans paid a final tribute on Wednesday.

Naser Hejazi played his club football with renowned Tehran side Esteghal, a club he later went on to manage. As well as appearing in the 1978 World Cup, he also won two AFC Asian Championships with Iran and played in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics. He also holds a record for playing 837 minutes for the national team without conceding a goal.

After retiring from playing, he went to Bangladesh to manage the Mohammadan club, which won several titles during his tenure, and even beat famed Iranian club Persopolis in an Asian Club Championship match. After returning from Bangladesh, he spent two spells managing Esteghal as well as managing several other Iranian clubs. Until his death, he remained involved with his beloved Esteghal as a board member.

Off the field, Hejazi was not afraid to speak out on politics and was a critic of current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Last April, he criticized Ahmadinejad's economic reform plan: “When I observe the dire condition of people, my health deteriorates,” he told football news website Goal.com. He supported opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi in the 2009 elections and even considered running for president in 2005 but the regime banned him from doing so, reportedly because of his lack of experience in politics.

But even Ahmadinejad paid tribute to the goalkeeping icon, describing Hejazi as "a renowned and good-tempered Iranian football figure who offered valuable services to national Iranian sport."

In an interview shortly before his death, Hejazi quoted Gandhi, “My pain is not loneliness but it’s the death of a nation who considers poverty as contentment, incompetency as patience, and with a smile on lips, consider this naivety as destiny.”

Nasser Hejazi is survived by his wife, Behnaz, and two children, daughter, Atoosa, and son, Attila.

On Twitter: @denisfitz

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