Masoud Shojaei
Encyclopedia
Masoud Soleimani Shojaei , sometimes known as just Masoud, is an Iran
ian footballer who plays for CA Osasuna
in La Liga
.
Mainly an attacking midfielder who can also play as a forward, he is also an Iranian international
.
. He started his career with Sanat Naft FC, before moving to Saipa F.C. of Karaj
in the Iran Pro League, at age 19. He played three seasons with the latter, displaying good overall dribbling skills, and being dubbed The New Karimi
.
After the 2006 World Cup
, Shojaei moved to the United Arab Emirates
and signed for Al-Sharjah Sports Club, joining compatriot Rasoul Khatibi
and penning a one-year contract, worth $
1,200,000. He scored his first goal for the club in the League on 3 October, against Al-Emarat.
On 23 June 2008, after previous attempts from VfL Wolfsburg
in Germany
and Italy
's S.S.C. Napoli
, Shojaei signed with Spanish
side CA Osasuna
for three years, teaming up with compatriot Javad Nekounam
. The deal included a €
6 million buyout clause for the first 18 months of his contract, being reduced to €3.5 million for the remainder of his stay.
Shojaei made his La Liga
debut on 31 August 2008, playing 32 minutes in a 1–1 home draw against Villarreal CF
. During his first two seasons, he appeared almost always as a substitute, as the Navarre
se managed to maintain its division status; the player remained a regular even after the coaching change at the club, as José Ángel Ziganda
was replaced by José Antonio Camacho
.
Masoud appeared regularly again for Osasuna in the 2010–11 season
, but also spent one month at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
with his national team. In late May, he renewed his contract with the club for another two seasons, also having the option of an annual renewal of his link.
, catching the eye of senior side
coach Branko Ivanković
.
He was first called-up to play for the full national team in November 2004, for a 2006 FIFA World Cup
qualifier
against Laos
. It would be the only cap
he would win until his inclusion in the training camp prior to the finals in Germany
, held in Switzerland
. During the camp, the manager was impressed enough to include the player in the final squad, but he only appeared once in the tournament, replacing injured Mohammad Nosrati
in the early minutes of the 1–1 draw against Angola
.
Shojaei began appearing more regularly in the 2010 World Cup qualification stages
, scoring in a 1–1 draw against South Korea
in the last game, as Team Melli eventually did not qualify for South Africa
.
|2002–03||Sanat Naft||rowspan="4"|Iran Pro League||12||1||0||0||-||-||12||1
|-
|2003–04||rowspan="3"|Saipa||14||2||0||0||-||-||14||2
|-
|2004–05||22||1||0||0||-||-||22||1
|-
|2005–06||24||2||1||0||-||-||25||2
|-
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="2"|Al-Sharjah||rowspan="2"|UAE League
||20||7||0||0||-||-||20||7
|-
|2007–08||20||5||0||0||-||-||20||5
|-
|-
|2008–09||rowspan="4"|Osasuna
||rowspan="4"|La Liga
||33||3||1||0 ||-||-||34||3
|-
|2009–10
||36||2||5||1||-||-||41||3
|-
|2010–11
||18||3||2||0||-||-||20||3
|-
|2011–12
||0||0||0||0||-||-||0||0
|-
72||6||1||0||-||-||73||6
40||12||0||0||-||-||40||12
87||8||8||1||-||-||95||9
199||26||9||1||-||-||208||27
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian footballer who plays for CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
.
Mainly an attacking midfielder who can also play as a forward, he is also an Iranian international
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
.
Club career
Of Abadani descent, Shojaei was born in ShirazShiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. He started his career with Sanat Naft FC, before moving to Saipa F.C. of Karaj
Karaj
Karaj is a city in and the capital of Karaj County, Alborz Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 1,377,450, in 385,955 families, , making it the fifth-largest city in Iran after Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan and Tabriz.) It is situated west of Tehran, at the foothills of the Alborz...
in the Iran Pro League, at age 19. He played three seasons with the latter, displaying good overall dribbling skills, and being dubbed The New Karimi
Ali Karimi
Mohammad Ali Karimi Pashaki better known as Ali Karimi, is an Iranian professional footballer who is currently playing for Persepolis in Iran Pro League. He was awarded the Asian Footballer of the Year in 2004....
.
After the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, Shojaei moved to the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
and signed for Al-Sharjah Sports Club, joining compatriot Rasoul Khatibi
Rasoul Khatibi
Rasoul Khatibi is an Iranian football player–Manager currently playing and Managing Machine Sazi Tabriz. He is a former member of the Iranian national team.-Club career:...
and penning a one-year contract, worth $
Dollar sign
The dollar or peso sign is a symbol primarily used to indicate the various peso and dollar units of currency around the world.- Origin :...
1,200,000. He scored his first goal for the club in the League on 3 October, against Al-Emarat.
On 23 June 2008, after previous attempts from VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's S.S.C. Napoli
S.S.C. Napoli
Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli, is a professional Italian football club based in Naples and founded in 1926. The club has spent most of its history in Serie A, where it currently plays its 2011–12 season....
, Shojaei signed with Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
side CA Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
for three years, teaming up with compatriot Javad Nekounam
Javad Nekounam
Javad Nekounam is an Iranian footballer who plays for CA Osasuna in La Liga.Usually playing as a central midfielder, he is known for his passing ability, defensive acumen, ball distribution and powerful long-range shots. He represented his national team over 120 times.-Early years / UAE:Having...
. The deal included a €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
6 million buyout clause for the first 18 months of his contract, being reduced to €3.5 million for the remainder of his stay.
Shojaei made his La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
debut on 31 August 2008, playing 32 minutes in a 1–1 home draw against Villarreal CF
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
. During his first two seasons, he appeared almost always as a substitute, as the Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
se managed to maintain its division status; the player remained a regular even after the coaching change at the club, as José Ángel Ziganda
José Ángel Ziganda
José Ángel "Cuco" Ziganda Lakuntza is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a centre forward, and a current manager....
was replaced by José Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho
José Antonio Camacho Alfaro is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left defender, and the current coach of the China PR national football team....
.
Masoud appeared regularly again for Osasuna in the 2010–11 season
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
, but also spent one month at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2011 AFC Asian Cup
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup...
with his national team. In late May, he renewed his contract with the club for another two seasons, also having the option of an annual renewal of his link.
International career
After good performances with Saipa, Shojaei earned a place in Iran national under-23 football teamIran national under-23 football team
Iran national under-23 football team represents Iran in international football competitions in Olympic Games and Asian Games, as well as any other under-23 international football tournaments...
, catching the eye of senior side
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
coach Branko Ivanković
Branko Ivankovic
Branko Ivanković is a Croatian football coach and former player. After a 12-year playing career at Varteks Varaždin, Ivanković started his coaching career at the same club in 1991. He led the Iranian national football team at the 2006 World Cup...
.
He was first called-up to play for the full national team in November 2004, for a 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualifier
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Asia.44 Asian teams are affiliated with FIFA, but Cambodia, Philippines, Bhutan and Brunei decided not to take part, and Myanmar was banned from the competition, so a total of 39 teams took part, competing...
against Laos
Laos national football team
The Laos national football team is the national team of Laos and is controlled by the Lao Football Federation. A member of the AFC, Laos has developed regional rivalries with Thailand and Burma.-History:...
. It would be the only cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
he would win until his inclusion in the training camp prior to the finals in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, held in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. During the camp, the manager was impressed enough to include the player in the final squad, but he only appeared once in the tournament, replacing injured Mohammad Nosrati
Mohammad Nosrati
Mohammad Nosrati is an Iranian Football player. He currently plays for Persepolis and the Iran national football team.-Club career:He was one of many valuable players of PAS Tehran F.C., finishing the 2003/04 season as IPL champions....
in the early minutes of the 1–1 draw against Angola
Angola national football team
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras , is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002...
.
Shojaei began appearing more regularly in the 2010 World Cup qualification stages
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
The Asian Football Confederation was allocated four assured qualifying berths for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and one place in a play-off. 43 teams were in the running for these spots; Laos, Brunei and the Philippines did not attempt to qualify...
, scoring in a 1–1 draw against South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
in the last game, as Team Melli eventually did not qualify for South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
International goals
- Scores and results list Iran's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 28 March 2009 Azadi Stadium Azadi StadiumThe Azadi Stadium formerly Aryamehr Stadium is Iran's national stadium and the largest in the country. The Azadi stadium officially has a capacity of 100,000 people and was built to host the 1974 Asian Games...
, TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
1–0 1–2 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)The Asian Football Confederation was allocated four assured qualifying berths for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and one place in a play-off. 43 teams were in the running for these spots; Laos, Brunei and the Philippines did not attempt to qualify...2 17 June 2009 Seoul World Cup Stadium Seoul World Cup StadiumThe Seoul World Cup Stadium, also known as Sangam Stadium, is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and opened in 2001. It was designed to represent the image of a traditional Korean kite...
, SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
1–0 1–1 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)The Asian Football Confederation was allocated four assured qualifying berths for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and one place in a play-off. 43 teams were in the running for these spots; Laos, Brunei and the Philippines did not attempt to qualify...3 12 August 2009 Asim Ferhatovic Asim Ferhatovic Hase StadiumAsim Ferhatović Hase Stadium is a stadium owned by the city of Sarajevo. It is also known as Koševo Stadium and formerly Olympic Stadium. Koševo Stadium is located in the Koševo neighborhood of Sarajevo and it is used mostly by FK Sarajevo....
, SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
1–2 3–2 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...4 7 September 2010 Seoul World Cup Stadium Seoul World Cup StadiumThe Seoul World Cup Stadium, also known as Sangam Stadium, is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and opened in 2001. It was designed to represent the image of a traditional Korean kite...
, SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
1–0 1–0 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
Club statistics
|-|2002–03||Sanat Naft||rowspan="4"|Iran Pro League||12||1||0||0||-||-||12||1
|-
|2003–04||rowspan="3"|Saipa||14||2||0||0||-||-||14||2
|-
|2004–05||22||1||0||0||-||-||22||1
|-
|2005–06||24||2||1||0||-||-||25||2
|-
|-
|2006–07||rowspan="2"|Al-Sharjah||rowspan="2"|UAE League
UAE League
The UAE Pro League Committee , commonly known as PLC, is the professional association football league of the United Arab Emirates. Founded in 1973, the league currently holds a number of tournaments for the 12 participating teams, including the Etisalat Pro-League, the Etisalat Cup, Etisalat...
||20||7||0||0||-||-||20||7
|-
|2007–08||20||5||0||0||-||-||20||5
|-
|-
|2008–09||rowspan="4"|Osasuna
CA Osasuna
Club Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...
||rowspan="4"|La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
||33||3||1||0 ||-||-||34||3
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
||36||2||5||1||-||-||41||3
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
||18||3||2||0||-||-||20||3
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 La Liga
The 2011–12 La Liga season is the 81st since its establishment. Barcelona are the defending champions, having won their 21st La Liga title in the previous season for the third time in a row. The campaign began on 27 August 2011, and will end on 13 May 2012...
||0||0||0||0||-||-||0||0
|-
72||6||1||0||-||-||73||6
40||12||0||0||-||-||40||12
87||8||8||1||-||-||95||9
199||26||9||1||-||-||208||27
- Assist Goals
Season Team Assists 2008–09 Osasuna CA OsasunaClub Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...7 2009–10 2009–10 La Liga- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...Osasuna CA OsasunaClub Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...1 2010–11 2010–11 La LigaThe 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...Osasuna CA OsasunaClub Atlético Osasuna, known as Osasuna, is a Spanish football team based in Iruñea-Pamplona, in the autonomous community of Navarre.Founded in 1920, it currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at the 19,553-capacity Estadio Reyno de Navarra...6
Country
- Islamic Solidarity GamesIslamic Solidarity GamesThe Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. The Games involve the elite athletes of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference...
: Third Place 2005Football at the 2005 Islamic Solidarity GamesFootball at the 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games was held in Saudi Arabia from April 9 to April 20, 2005.-Squads:While some of the other countries used their full A national teams, other countries, such as Algeria sent their Under-23 team to the competition....