Shoja' Khalilzadeh

Shoja' Khalilzadeh (Persian: شجاع خلیل‌زاده‎) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays for Qatari club Al-Rayyan and the Iranian national team, as a centre-back. He is known for his pace, artistic tackles and positional sense.

Shoja' Khalilzadeh
Khalilzadeh in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-05-14) 14 May 1989
Place of birth Qaem Shahr, Iran
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 Al-Rayyan
Number 3
Youth career
2006–2007 Shahrdari Amir Kola
2007–2008 Khoshnoush Sari
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Mes Rafsanjan 42 (1)
2010–2013 Mes Kerman 64 (1)
2013–2017 Sepahan 58 (0)
2015–2016 → Tractor (loan) 23 (2)
2017–2020 Persepolis 76 (6)
2020– Al-Rayyan 6 (1)
National team‡
2007–2009 Iran U20
2011 Iran U23 3 (0)
2012– Iran 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 December 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 November 2020

Club career

Mes & Sepahan

He started his playing career at Mes Rafsanjan in 2008 and joined Iran Pro League side Mes Kerman in 2010 after spending the previous season at Mes Rafsanjan in Azadegan League.[2] He moved to Sepahan in the summer of 2013 and winner Persian Gulf League 2014–15.[3]

Persepolis
Khalilzadeh celebrates scoring for Persepolis, 2018
"During these years, I never neglected Persepolis, which has always been my love, and despite numerous injuries, I entered the field with all my strength, so that I could repay a part of love to the fans."

—Khalilzadeh Speaking to the fans after his move in October 2020.[4]

On 6 May 2017, Khalilzadeh joined Persian Gulf Pro League champions Persepolis on a two-year contract.[5] In his debut match in the Persian Gulf Pro League for Persepolis, he scored his first goal against Foolad Khozestan.[6]

He scored his second goal for Persepolis in the 2017 AFC Champions League quarter-finals match against Al Ahli. Persepolis was scoreless with Al Ahli on Matchday Three 2019 AFC Champions League, when Khalilzadeh showed superb agility to adjust his body and acrobatically scissor-kick home the opening goal which was named as the best goal of the 2019 AFC Champions League group stage by the fans.[7]

He played a great role in winning three titles in the Iran Pro League and also helped Persepolis to reach AFC Champions League final twice in three years.[8] Since 2018, Khalilzadeh has been linked with a move to the Qatar Stars League. Before the start of the 2020–21 season, he announced that he would not extend his contract, in order to join to a Qatari team.[9]

Al-Rayyan

On 25 October 2020, Al-Rayyan SC announced the signing of Khalilzadeh on a two-year contract,[10] making him the second Iranian to play for Al Rayyan, after Ebrahim Ghasempour.

International career

He was invited to Iran national team in 2012 by Carlos Queiroz. He made his debut for the national team in a 3–0 victory against Mozambique national team.[1]

In 2020, he was called-up for a friendlies against the Uzbekistan in a 2–1 away win on 8 October, and against the Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 November, in a 2–0 away win.[11]

Style of play

Regarded as one of the most reliable a defenders in the AFC Champions League in high-pressure situations,[12] he is known for his awareness, carry the ball forward and he highly regarded by the fans for his on-the-pitch bravery.

Career statistics

Club
As of 27 December 2020[13][1]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mes Rafsanjan Division 1 2008–09 20040——240
2009–10 22130——251
Total 42170——491
Mes Kerman Pro League 2010–11 24010——250
2011–12 28130——311
2012–13 22010——230
Total 74150——791
Sepahan Pro League 2013–14 2601060—330
2014–15 9000——90
Tractor (loan) 2015–16 2323041—303
Sepahan 2016–17 23040——270
Total 81280101—993
Persepolis Pro League 2017–18 2733111110425
2018–19 27240112—424
2019–20 2213020—271
2020–21 ——72—72
Total 7661013051011812
Al-Rayyan QSL 2020–21 3010000040
Total 3010000040
Career total 276103114061034917

Honours
Persepolis trophy celebrations, 2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League.

Club
Sepahan
Persepolis

Individual

References
  1. Shoja' Khalilzadeh at Soccerway
  2. Shoja Khalilzadeh - Mes Rafsanjan Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  3. Goal.com
  4. "Khalilzadeh Profile". Instagram. Retrieved 27 October 2020
  5. "Shoja Khalilzadeh joins Persepolis football team". Tehran Times. 6 May 2017.
  6. "Shoja Khalilzadeh's Goal (Persepolis-Foolad)". Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  7. "best goal of the ACL 2019 group stage". the-AFC. 30 May 2019.
  8. "Al-Rayyan closing in on Shoja Khalilzadeh [Report]".
  9. "کریم باقری: از صحبت‌هایم راجع به خلیل‌زاده سوءبرداشت‌ شد". Perspolis. 26 October 2020.
  10. "Shoja' Khalilzadeh signs two-year contract with Al Rayyan". the-AFC. 24 October 2020.
  11. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. Iran (0:2)".
  12. "2020 AFC Champions League: The Stats Leaders". the-AFC. 25 December 2020.
  13. Shoja Khalilzadeh at Playmakerstats
  14. According to Toyota Player of the Week (Stats Perform, OPTA, Voted by the fans), TheAFCCL and SofaScore.
  15. "Vote for your best AFC Champions League 2020 (West) Team: Defenders". the-AFC. 25 October 2020.
  16. "Vote for your favourite AFC Champions League 2020 (West) player as Best XI is announced!". the-AFC.
  17. "Persepolis' Khalilzadeh voted as winner of AFC Champions League 2020 Goal of the West". the-AFC.
  18. "AFC Champions League Semi-final (WEST) Toyota Player of the Week: Shojae Khalilzadeh". AFC. 6 October 2020.
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