Vahid Hashemian

Hashemian started his professional football career with Pas Tehran in his homeland. He arrived in Germany for the 1999–2000 season to play for Hamburger SV. Although playing alongside his fellow Iranian international Mehdi Mahdavikia, he had just 12 appearances, so he left the club for VfL Bochum to show his real ability. He had three good seasons with Bochum, scoring 34 goals in 87 appearances. During his last season there he scored 16 goals, helping Bochum to finish fifth in the Bundesliga and qualify for the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. This prompted Bayern Munich to grant him in a €2 million contract, hence giving him the chance to follow in the footsteps of Ali Daei.[2] After one season with Bayern Munich, he joined Hannover 96 where he has been playing since season 2005–06. On 23 April 2008, VfL Bochum officials announced that he would return to their club in the season 2008–09. Hashemian signed a two-year contract with an option for one extra year. He scored only one goal for the team and was benched most of the times in his first season. On 30 December 2010, Hashemian signed a deal with Iran Pro League side Persepolis.[3] Where he was able to win the Hazfi Cup. On 19 July 2011, he extended his contract with the Iranian powerhouse Persepolis for another year. On 20 May 2012, it was announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season. On 21 July 2012, on his 36th birthday, he announced his retirement from football.[4]

Hashemian debuted for the Iran national football team on 1 December 1998 in a friendly match against Kazakhstan. After the 2000 Asian Cup he refused to play for Team Melli but after four years finally decided to come and help his country to qualify for the World Cup. Hashemian has been a key player for Iran national team in recent years and has scored vital goals for Team Melli, such as netting an important goal in a World Cup qualification game against Qatar in October 2004, as well as scoring two magnificent goals in a win over Japan in Tehran in March 2005. He played all three of Iran's games in the 2006 World Cup. He started in the line-up in all the games at 2007 Asian Cup, under Amir Ghalenoi, but has declined to play for Team Melli in the first round of 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. Hashemian was later invited for the second round of World Cup Qualifying playing in Iran's 1–1 tie versus Saudi Arabia. He announced that he would no longer participate in the international matches and he is retired from Team Melli and he wishes to coach Team Melli when he retires from football.

Hashemian gained his UEFA B Licence in 2008 while playing in Bundesliga,[5] before completing his A Licence in 2012.[6] Hashemian was named as one of the 24 coaches handpicked by the DFB to take part in its 10-month course, Fußballlehrer, in 2014.[7] He also took a three-weeks internship under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, as part of the program, and obtained the german certificate equivalent to UEFA Pro Licence.[8][9]