Striker Jahanbakhsh Praises Mahdavikia

Popular wisdom tells us “don’t meet your heroes”, as we will only end up denting and tarnishing the flawless image we have built of them. While that is true for many, Iran’s rising star Alireza Jahanbakhsh is a clear exception.    
At the age of 17 and beginning to make a name for himself back home, the young winger crossed paths with arguably Team Melli’s greatest ever wide player–Mehdi Mahdavikia–and has attempted to trace the star’s footsteps ever since.
“Back when I was starting out in football, Mehdi was one of the greatest players in our national team,” the AZ Alkmaar man explained to FIFA.com. “I got the opportunity to play with him at my old club in Iran–Damash Gilan–and he was such a great guy.”
While it would be a merging of stories that would only last six months on the banks of the Caspian Sea in 2011, the legend who made his name at the 1998 and 2006 FIFA World Cups was quick to take the youngster under his wing.