Khodadad Azizi's goal made a little
history and brought a lot of joy.
Courtesy Persian Gulf Soccer
National Soccer Team
March 23, 1998
The Iranian
The National Soccer Team received the most votes after President Khatami as the Iranian of the Year, 1997. See voters' comments below. Also see who were your favorite sportsmen of the year.
Comments on the national
team
Iranian
of the Year 1997 index
Comments on the national team
Happy, for a change
No politician, artist...
Joy for the joyless
Bringing us together
Momentary freedom
THE event of 1997
... since the revolution
Bacheh-haa moteshakerim!
Made us proud
Despite political chains...
Sense of unity
Pride
Brought joy
Sense of belonging
Joy & pride
Bringing us together
* For giving us so much joy, and bringing us together irrespective of our political beliefs and other differences.
Made us proud
* They've made all of us Iranians all over the world extremely proud.
<ua963827@student.adelaide.edu.au>
Sense of unity
* Through their devotion and hard work, they have brought pride, and a sence of unity to Iranians around the world.
Maryam Latifpoor
<95latifp@scar.utoronto.ca>
Pride
* They made us proud.
Faezeh Abedi-Tari
<Abedi-Tari.Faezeh@mgh.harvard.edu>
No politician, artist...
* These young players have brought us so much joy and pride since the 1979 revolution. Their courage and talent brought national unity as had not been experienced in the past 19 years. No politician, artist, itellectual, or dignitary has brought such unity to our people.
Bahram Khazeni
<BKhazeni@CENIEHOFF.COM>
Despite political chains...
* Despite the limited resources and facilities and also the political chains which can only limit their performance, the Iranian National Football players evetually came up with the goods and brought much happiness and pride to all Iranians.
Mohsen Asadi
<asadi@nortel.ca>
Happy, for a change
* The national football players were the only bunch of Iranians who united all of the "un-united" Iranian people all over the world for one day in the past 20 years. And for a change, it was a happy occasion.
Shahram Karimi
<gbh3rpbr@ibmmail.com>
Joy for the joyless
* They brought joy to a nation that has experienced little joy in its near past!
Brought joy
* They brought joy to millions of Iranians.
THE event of 1997
* They re-introduced our country as a soccer power in Asia, and took us to World Cup 98 in France for the first time in 20 years. Iran vs Australia was THE most talked about soccer match, and one of the most talked about sports events of 1997.
Kamran Arasteh
<kamy@execulink.com>
... since the revolution
* They created the single most enthusiastic reaction from the Iranian public since the Iranian Revolution.
Sense of belonging
* For the joy, unity, ans sense of belonging to a community that they brought to every Iranian inside and outside our country.
Joy & pride
* They brought joy to all the iranians inside and outside of Iran and a sense of pride that at times may be lacking.
Moni Mosharaf
<mmosharaf@hotmail.com>
Momentary freedom
* Because of the soccer team's victory, the people of Iran had a breath of fresh air during the post-game celebrations. That momentary freedom to play music and dance in the streets must have been incredible considering the 20 years of oppression our people have gone through.
A. Ghajar
<aghajar@u.washington.edu>
Bacheh-haa moteshakerim!
* They united the people of Iran, rekindled hope in the heart of everyone, and proved that determined people may experience setbacks but will be victorious, at last. Bacheh-haa motshakerim!
Related links
* For
the record -- A report on the Iran-Australia match. By Hamid Taghavi
* Video
of people's celebration in Tehran after the Iran-Autralia match
(Real Audio). From the Iran
World Cup 98 site
* Merci
Hamshahri -- Mahdiyeh Javid describes her brief meeting with football
sensation, Khodadad Azizi (Persian)
* We
were here -- As we sat in a cafe in Berkeley, listening to The
Match on the radio, we rose from the depths of despair to the heights of
ecstasy. By J. Javid
* Sports
* Cover stories
* Who's
who
* Bookstore
Copyright © 1997 Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved. May not be duplicated or distributed in any form.
