Biography
Who is Sardar Azmoun?
Early life and sports
Sardar Azmoun was born in Gonbad-e Kavus, Iran. He first became interested in football during a family trip to Turkmenistan when he was nine years old. Before focusing entirely on soccer, he displayed athletic talent in other areas. He was invited to play for the Iran national under-15 volleyball team. His football career began with Oghab Gonbad in his hometown. He later joined Shamoushak Gorgan and eventually Etka Gorgan, which competed in the first division of the Iranian league system at that time.
Professional career start
At fifteen years old, Sardar joined the youth ranks of Sepahan. While he traveled with the club for pre-season friendlies in Turkey, he did not make a professional appearance for the team. In 2013, he moved to Russia to play for Rubin Kazan, becoming the first Iranian player to compete in the Russian Premier League. He made his senior debut in a UEFA Europa League match against Jagodina in July 2013. Shortly after, he scored his first goal against the Norwegian club Molde in his second senior appearance.
His performance drew significant attention from European clubs. In 2014, reports indicated that English club Arsenal made a transfer offer for the nineteen-year-old player. Other clubs including A.C. Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Barcelona also showed interest in him. During the 2014-15 season, he scored a goal in a Russian Cup victory over Spartak Moscow before moving to FC Rostov on loan.
Success in Russia
Sardar Azmoun signed a loan deal with FC Rostov in early 2015. He made an immediate impact by scoring a winning goal against Kuban Krasnodar in March. He extended his stay with the club through the 2015-16 season. During that time, he helped Rostov finish as league runners-up and secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League. He scored key goals against Ajax and Bayern Munich to help his team progress in the competition.
The transfer status of the player led to a legal dispute between Rubin Kazan and FC Rostov, which eventually involved FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The court ruled in favor of the player, allowing him to remain with Rostov for the Champions League squad. After his time in Rostov, he returned to Rubin Kazan briefly before signing a multi-year contract with Zenit St. Petersburg in February 2019. He made a strong debut for Zenit, scoring two goals and providing an assist against Fenerbahçe in the Europa League.
International career
Sardar Azmoun made his debut for the Iran national team in 2014 when he was nineteen. He has remained a consistent member of the squad known as Team Melli. He represented his country in three editions of the AFC Asian Cup, specifically in 2015, 2019, and 2023. He also played for Iran in the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He holds the distinction of being the second-most expensive Iranian player in history and is the youngest Iranian to score in a UEFA Champions League match.
Birthday and age
Sardar Azmoun was born on January 1, 1995, which makes Sardar 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Sardar shares the date with 79 other famous people.
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