Soroush Rafiei
Soroush Rafiei (Persian: سروش رفیعی) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays for Persian Gulf Pro League club Persepolis and the Iran national team.
 Rafiei with Persepolis at the 2017 AFC Champions League | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Soroush Rafiei Telgary | ||
| Date of birth | 24 March 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Tal-e Gar, Shiraz, Iran | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Persepolis | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2009 | Fajr Sepasi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2011 | Fajr Sepasi | 40 | (10) |
| 2011–2017 | Foolad | 92 | (14) |
| 2015–2017 | → Tractor (loan) | 51 | (5) |
| 2017 | Persepolis | 21 | (4) |
| 2017–2018 | Al-Khor | 19 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | Persepolis | 12 | (1) |
| 2018 | → Foolad (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Shahr Khodro | 15 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Sepahan | 60 | (6) |
| 2022– | Persepolis | 30 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2014– | Iran | 4 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 January 2015 | |||
Club career
Fajr Sepasi
He started his career with Fajr Sepasi and helped them to promote to the 2011–12 Persian Gulf Cup.
Foolad
Rafiei, 28, was a member of Foolad football team from 2011 to 2017 and helped the Ahvaz-based football team win Iran Professional League (IPL) title in 2014.
Tractor
In the summer of 2015 Rafiei signed a two–year contract with Tractor to spend his conscription period at the club.[1] In 2016, Rafiei has been linked with a move to Greek professional football club, AEK Athens in the next transfer window. Also, Persian giants Persepolis and Esteghlal Tehran showed interest in him.[2]
Persepolis
On 9 January 2017, Rafiei signed a 6-month contract with Persian Gulf Pro League club Persepolis.[3][4] He was given the number 7, which had previously been retired in honor of club legend Ali Parvin.[5] He scored a goal against Esteghlal in 84th Tehran Derby.[6] Rafiee returned to Persepolis for 2018–19 but due to fifa ban, he loaned to Foolad till winter.
Al-Khor
Before June 2017, news and rumours linked Rafiei with a move to Al Sadd.[7][8] But before start of 2017–18 season, Rafiee joined the Qatari Al-Khor football team for one year, and wore number 7 in the team.[9] At the end of the season, Al-Khor picked up an alternate player for Rafiei and did not renew his contract with the club.[10] He considered playing in Iran's football league more difficult than playing in Qatar.[11]
Return to Persepolis
On 8 July 2018, Rafiei joined Persepolis on a new 18-month deal.[12]
Shahr Khodro
On August 2019, Rafiei joined Shahr Khodro on a two-year deal.[15][16]
Sepahan
On 13 January 2020, Rafiei joined Sepahan S.C. on a 18-month deal.[17][18] In Sepahan, he played a key role in the middle of the field. He had a high number of assists for Sepahan.[19]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 24 October 2023
| Club | Division | Season | League | Hazfi Cup | Asia | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Fajr Sepasi | Pro League | 2009–10 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 | 5 | |
| Azadegan League | 2010–11 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 | 5 | ||
| Total | 40 | 10 | 0 | 0 | _ | 40 | 10 | |||
| Foolad | Pro League | 2011–12 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 20 | 2 | |
| 2012–13 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 | 1 | |||
| 2013–14 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 39 | 4 | ||
| 2014–15 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 7 | ||
| Total | 79 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 92 | 14 | ||
| Tractor (loan) | Pro League | 2015–16 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| 2016–17 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 17 | 1 | |||
| Total | 39 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 51 | 5 | ||
| Persepolis | Pro League | 2016–17 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 4 |
| Total | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 4 | ||
| Al-Khor | QSL | 2017–18 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 | 5 | |
| Total | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 | 5 | |||
| Persepolis | Pro League | 2018–19 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Total | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| Foolad (loan) | Pro League | 2018–19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | |||
| Shahr Khodro | Pro League | 2019 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Sepahan | Pro League | 2020 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 3 |
| 2020–21 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 | 2 | |||
| 2021–22 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 31 | 3 | ||
| Total | 60 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 75 | 8 | ||
| Persepolis | Pro League | 2022–23 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | |
| 2023–24 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 309 | 43 | 22 | 2 | 43 | 3 | 374 | 48 | ||
International career
He was called up to the Iran national football team in October 2014 by Carlos Queiroz. He made his debut in a match against South Korea on 18 November 2014. He was called into Iran's 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad on 30 December 2014 by Carlos Queiroz.[22] In May 2018 he was named in Iran's preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia[23] but did not make the final 23.[24]
Style of play
Rafiei is a technical playmaker.[25] In Iranian sports media, he has been mentioned as "a midfielder who dribbles as cool as ever and his playing is just enough".[26]
Argentinian manager and former player, Gabriel Calderón criticized his style of play due to "lack of speed" in his game plan.[27]
Personal life
Rafiei was born in Shiraz, Iran and started playing football in his hometown.[28] He has announced that he has been a fan of Persepolis since he was a child.[29][30]
Honours
- Foolad
- Persepolis
- Persian Gulf Pro League (3): 2016–17, 2018–19, 2022–23
- Hazfi Cup (2): 2018–19, 2022–23
- Iranian Super Cup (2): 2019, 2023
Individual
- Persian Gulf Pro League Team of the Year (3) : 2013–14 , 2015–16 , 2016-17
References
- "سروش رفیعی به تراکتورسازی پیوست- اخبار ورزشی تسنیم | Tasnim". خبرگزاری تسنیم | Tasnim (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "Soroush Rafiei linked with AEK Athens". Tehran Times. 2016-12-19. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "سروش رفیعی به پرسپولیس پیوست". طرفداری (in Persian). 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "سروش رفیعی به پرسپولیس پیوست + عکس- اخبار ورزشی تسنیم | Tasnim". خبرگزاری تسنیم | Tasnim (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- ""۷" پرسپولیس بر تن سروش رفیعی". ایسنا (in Persian). 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "گل سوم سروش رفیعی به استقلال / گلزنی با طعم شماره هفت پرسپولیس (ویدیو)". خبرگزاری ایلنا (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "Iran's Soroush Rafiei Linked with Qatar's Al Sadd - Sports news". Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- "سروش رفیعی در راه قطر؛ بازیکن پرسپولیس هم بازی ژاوی در السد می شود؟". طرفداری (in Persian). 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- "Soroush Rafiei Officially Joins Qatar's Al-Khor - PersianLeague.Com (Iran Football League)". www.persianleague.com. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "الخور با جایگزین سروش رفیعی قرارداد امضا کرد". ایسنا (in Persian). 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "Iran Professional League Tougher than Qatar Stars League: Soroush Rafiei - Sports news". Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "سروش رفیعی به پرسپولیس پیوست (عکس)". ورزش سه (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- "پیوستن سروش رفیعی به تیم فولاد در نیم فصل اول لیگ برتر". خبرگزاری موج (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- "بازگشت رفیعی به تمرینات فولاد/ ناراحتی باشگاه از سروش | خبرگزاری فارس". www.farsnews.ir. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "رفیعی به شهرخودرو پیوست". ایسنا (in Persian). 2019-08-08. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- "سروش رفیعی به شهرخودرو پیوست + عکس". سازمان لیگ فوتبال ایران (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "رسمی؛ سروش رفیعی به سپاهان پیوست". ورزش سه (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- "سروش رفیعی به سپاهان پیوست". ایرنا (in Persian). 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ایران, سایت خبرگزاری وانا| رسانه مستقل. "آمار فوق العاده دو ستاره پرسپولیس". fa (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "Persepolis complete fifth signing". Tehran Times. 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- "رفیعی: آرزو میکنم باز هم شماره هفتِ پرسپولیس را بپوشم". ایرنا (in Persian). 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- "Queiroz Names Team Melli Squad". afcasiancup.com. 30 December 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- "World Cup 2018: All the confirmed squads for this summer's finals in Russia".
- "Carlos Queiroz Names Provisional Iran Squad for FIFA World Cup 2018". IFPNews.com.
- "سروش رفیعی در آستانه بازگشت به پرسپولیس". اعتمادآنلاین (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "سبک بازی سروش رفیعی: فانتزی، شیک و مجلسی". فرتاک ورزشی (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "روزنامه خراسان". khorasanrazavi.khorasannews.com. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Soroush Rafiei (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "سروش رفیعی: از بچگی پرسپولیسی بودم/ میخواهم از اینجا لژیونر شوم". ایسنا (in Persian). 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
- "رفیعی: از بچگی پرسپولیسی بودم و با دلم انتخاب کردم/ بعد از من نظر همه درباره شماره 7 عوض می شود- اخبار ورزشی تسنیم | Tasnim". خبرگزاری تسنیم | Tasnim (in Persian). Retrieved 2022-08-10.
External links
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