Vahid Hashemian

Vahid Hashemian Korbekandi (, born July 21, 1976 in Tehran) is an Iranian Football (soccer) striker who currently plays for VfL Bochum in the Fußball-Bundesliga and the Iran national football team. Hashemian is nicknamed "helicopter", or hubschrauber in German language, due to his outstanding ability to hang in the air.

Club career

Vahid started his professional football career with Pas Tehran in his homeland. He arrived in Germany for the 1999/2000 season to play for Hamburger SV. Although playing alongside his fellow Iranian international Mehdi Mahdavikia, he had just 12 appearances, so he left the club for VfL Bochum to show his real ability. He had three good seasons with Bochum, scoring 34 goals in 87 appearances. During his last season there he scored 16 goals, helping Bochum to finish fifth in Bundesliga (football) and qualify for the 2004/05 UEFA Cup. This prompted Bayern Munich to grant him in a €2M contract, hence giving him the chance to follow in the footsteps of Ali Daei. After one season in Munich, he joined Hannover 96 where he has been playing since season 2005/06. On April, 23rd 2008 VfL Bochum officials announced that he will return to their club in the season 2008/09. Hashemian signed a two year contract with an option for one extra year.

Club career stats

Last update: 20 May 2008

International career

Hashemian debuted for the Iran national football team on December 1, 1998 in a friendly match against Kazakhstan national football team.After 2000 Asian Cup he refused to play for Team Melli but after 4 years finally decided to come and help his country to qualify for the World Cup. Hashemian has been a key player for Iran national team in recent years and has scored vital goals for Iran national football team, such as netting an important goal in a Football World Cup 2006 (qualification) game against Qatar national football team in October 2004, as well as scoring two magnificent goals in a win over Japan national football team in Tehran in March 2005. He played all three of Iran at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
He started in the Line-up in all the games at 2007 Asian Cup, under Amir Ghalenoi, but has declined to to play for Team Melli in the first round of 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. Hashemian was later invited for the second round of World Cup Qualifying playing in Iran's 1-1 tie versus Saudi Arabia national football team.

Honurs

- German football champions:1
- - Fußball-Bundesliga 2004/05

- German Cup: 1
- - DFB Cup 2004-05

Iran:
- Asian Games:1
- - 1998