Mahdavikia, Iran's flawless 'magic carpet'

AFP - Bull-chested Bundesliga winger Mehdi Mahdavikia can lay strong claim to being Iran's greatest ever player if he helps bring home the Asian Cup this year.

While the dynamic 29-year-old has never lacked personal accolades, he will be desperate to finally to land a major trophy - and end Iran's 31-year wait for a fourth regional title.

A direct and incisive runner with a lethal right foot, Mahdavikia was instrumental in Iran's march to the 2004 semis and will cause the most jitters among Team Melli's opponents.

The 2003 Asian Player of the Year will also want to make amends for Iran's disappointing World Cup, where they earned just one point in three games.

Mahdavikia, who recently moved to Eintracht Frankfurt after a distinguished eight-year spell at Hamburg, may get his chance with new coach Amir Ghalenoei's revamped Iran.

With stalwarts Ali Daei and Yahya Golmohammadi retired, Mahdavikia will make up the experienced core along with fellow Bundesliga men Ali Karimi and Vahid Hashemian and Bolton's Andranik Teymourian.

Iran will look to Mahdavikia to provide the spark, as when he orchestrated 2004's dramatic 4-3 quarter-final win over South Korea.

Mahdavikia, known as 'der Teppich' (the carpet) at Hamburg for his magical ability to glide past opponents Arabian Nights-style, had a hand in three of the goals, adding to his legend among Iran's fans.

He had already achieved immortality at the 1998 World Cup by getting Iran's second in the 2-1 victory over the United States, thus sealing the most fabled result in the country's football history.

Mahdavikia, who started his career with Persepolis FC and was Asia's young player of the year in 1997, was also twice player of the season at Hamburg where he scored 29 goals in 223 Bundesliga appearances.

Known for his gentlemanly demeanour, the married father-of-one hit the headlines last year when it was revealed he had a second wife - an offence in Germany but not in Iran.

He has since called the move a "big mistake".