Andranik Eskandarian

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Andranik Eskandarian
Personal information
Full name Andranik Eskandarian
Date of birth (1951-12-31) 31 December 1951 (age 72)
Place of birth
Imperial State of Iran
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1970 Poolad Tehran
1970–1972 Ararat Tehran
1972–1978
Taj
184 (2)
1978–1984
New York Cosmos
142 (0)
1984–1985
New York Cosmos
(indoor)
29 (1)
1986–1987 New York Express (indoor) 14 (0)
1989–1990 New Jersey Eagles
International career
1975–1978 Iran 29 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Andranik Eskandarian (

North American Soccer League
.

He won the Iranian league in

Taj SC
. Taj's fans called him Barbed Wire.

Eskandarian was a member of the Iranian team winning the Asia Cup 1976 in Tehran and reaching the quarterfinals of the Olympic Tournament in Montreal in 1976. He also played for Iran in the 1978 World Cup, the country's first appearance in the tournament. He infamously was the first member of Iran's team to score in the World Cup: an own-goal in a match against Scotland that his teammate later tied, 1-1.[1][2] The game was still considered a success for Iran, including Eskandarian's play as a defender against Kenny Dalglish and Joe Jordan, and an embarrassment for Scotland.[3]

Soon after that, he moved to America to play for the highest-profile team in the country, the

Major Indoor Soccer League. From 1989 through 1990, he played for the New Jersey Eagles of the American Soccer League.[5]

Personal

Andranik Eskandarian was born on 31 December 1951 in

Armenian family.[6] He is the father of former Major League Soccer player Alecko Eskandarian. Eskandarian became a United States citizen in 1984 and now owns and operates two sporting goods stores in New Jersey.[7]

Honours

Club

Taj
New York Cosmos

National

Iran

References

  1. ^ Report, FIFA.com, accessed 15 June 2018.
  2. ^ PLAYS; FIRST GOAL AN UNHAPPY EXPERIENCE, The New York Times, 27 May 1983, accessed 15 June 2018.
  3. ^ James Montague, World Cup 2014: Iran legend Andranik Eskandarian was a prime architect of Scotland's 1978 humiliation, The Telegraph, 21 June 2014, accessed 15 June 2018.
  4. ^ "World Cup 2014: Iran legend Andranik Eskandarian was a prime architect of Scotland's 1978 humiliation".
  5. ^ New Jersey Eagles Team Roster, 1989 and New Jersey Eagles Team Roster, 1990
  6. p 95
  7. ^ Backline:Eski: 'We brought soccer to this country' Archived 24 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine by Will Kuhns for Soccer America 30 April 2001

External links