Mahdavikia voted Hamburg's Player of Season

AFC - IRAN'S Mehdi Mahdavikia was voted Hamburg SV Player of the 2002/2003 season after a superb 12 months where he not only topped the assist charts in Germany, but also in process played a big role in steering Hamburg to an UEFA Cup place next season.

Hamburg recently finished fourth in the Bundesliga, four points behind Borussia Dortmund who will now play in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Mahdavikia, the 1997 AFC Young Player of the Year and AFC Player of March this year, clocked up 35% of the Hamburg fans’ votes ahead of Dutch striker Erik Meijer and goalkeeper Martin Pieckenhagen.

Mahdavikia first came under the international spotlight when he scored two outstanding goals in Iran's 4-2 win over China during the 1997 Asian World Cup qualifying, a victory that was crucial in taking the Middle Eastern side to the Finals in France the next year.

After a transfer from Pirouzi in 1999, Mahdavikia then helped Hamburg win a UEFA Champions League place but what the 26 year-old midfielder has done over the last 12 months has been nothing but exceptional.

Asian football fans will remember that scintillating turn and cross that helped Japanese striker Naohiro Takahara score his first ever German league goal. That was just one of Mahdavikia's numerous contributions last season and with winning the UEFA Cup place, the Tehran born player is now poised to stay on for another season before his contract at Hamburg expires.

"If we play internationally, I will stay with Hamburg SV. There would be no reason to leave," said Mahdavikia earlier in the year.