Esteghlal club celebrate 80th anniversary

TEHRAN – Esteghlal football club marked the 80th anniversary of their establishment on Friday night in a ceremony held close to Yalda Night (the longest and darkest night of the year), attended by current members, former players, and club officials.

Athletes from Esteghlal’s various sports teams, including football and basketball, were present at the celebration. Club officials also invited a number of veterans, with notable figures such as Samad Marfavai, Hassan Roshan, Parviz Mazloumi, Majid Namjoo-Motlagh, Iman Alami, Mohammad Navazi, Sirous Dinmohammadi, and Vouria Ghafouri attending the event.

From Esteghlal’s men’s basketball team, Iran’s star center Hamed Haddadi also attended. Speaking at the event, Haddadi said, “I have been an Esteghlali supporter since I was a child.”

Ali Tajernia, the club’s acting CEO, addressed the audience, stating:
“Esteghlal are a family built on memories, tears, and smiles. In our history, Esteghlal have not only won two Asian championships and earned two stars; Esteghlal have thousands of stars. These stars are our fans, players, coaches, managers, and even the anonymous staff who selflessly keep this great club running.”

Head coach Ricardo Sá Pinto also spoke at the ceremony, congratulating the club on their anniversary.
“It is an honor to be here,” he said. “I have always felt your support. We didn’t start the league the way we wanted, and we know we must improve. We must be a family. I respect the veterans. We are Esteghlal, and we will never surrender.”

Esteghlal’s football team will face Bahrain’s Al-Muharraq on Wednesday in the AFC Champions League Two group stage. The Blues need a victory to secure qualification for the next round of the competition.