World Cup Alireza Beiranvand was one of the protagonists in the goalless draw between Belgium and Iran (0-0) on Sunday. The 33-year-old Iranian goalkeeper made seven saves, one of which is a serious contender for the best of the tournament: De Cuyper was just a few meters away from glory, but the goalkeeper’s left hand, which seemed beaten, achieved a miracle in the 59th minute. BEIRANVAND 😱🧤 What a save by the Iranian goalkeeper ❌ #sporttvportugal #MUNDIALna SPORTTV #Mundial FIFA2026 #Belgium #Iran pic.twitter.com/Qvp8pe3W6u An unforgettable moment for the goalkeeper… who gave up everything for a dream. Alireza was born into a nomadic family in the Lorestan province, near the border with Iraq, and started working early as a shepherd. In his free time, he spent hours playing Dal Paran, which involved throwing stones. However, the future goalkeeper’s true passion was football. Beiranvand began playing at the age of 12 as a forward, moved back to the goal, and soon faced a huge setback: his father’s opposition. “My father didn’t like football at all. He even tore my clothes and gloves,” he recalled in an interview with The Guardian in 2018. His father’s attempts to dissuade him led to a radical decision: at 15, Alireza left home, borrowed money from a friend, and headed to the capital, Tehran. A chance with a local team cost about 30 euros, an amount the goalkeeper did not have. Alireza worked cleaning streets, washing cars, and in restaurants, driven by his dream. The SUV-washing specialist, due to his age, even washed the car of Iranian legend Ali Daei but was “too embarrassed” to ask for advice. Meanwhile, he accumulated borrowed houses, slept at his job… or even outside the club where he trained on trial. “Once I woke up and realized that people had given me coins. They thought I was homeless. I had the best breakfast in a long time,” he recalled to The Guardian. Alireza continued to accumulate jobs and temporary beds, despite taking his first steps at Naft, a club that released him and invited him back shortly after. Alireza established himself at the club starting in 2013, and the doors to the national team opened two years later. Besides his performance between the posts, the goalkeeper stood out for his uncommon ability to throw the ball. The credit goes to Dal Paran. I grew up watching those throws by Alireza Beiranvand during my childhood🐐❤️ pic.twitter.com/t3hns HL8m S The Iranian goalkeeper even holds the record for the longest throw ever recorded in football: 61 meters in a match against South Korea in 2016. Alireza rose in the national team hierarchy and took the goal in the 2018 World Cup while already representing Persepolis. His first World Cup experience was marked by an unforgettable moment… against Portugal on June 25, 2018. After conceding a stunning trivela goal from Quaresma, Alireza saved a penalty taken by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 53rd minute, keeping the deficit to a minimum. Iran equalized in the 90+3rd minute, and Alireza became a global sensation. The doors to Europe opened in 2020. The goalkeeper played 12 matches for Belgian side Antwerp before moving to Boavista the following season. The Iranian international had a lackluster stint at Bessa, having played only nine matches. Alireza Beiranvand returned to Iran, became a starter again in the 2022 World Cup… and was involved in a violent clash with a teammate right in the first game against England. Four years later, the 33-year-old goalkeeper returns to the spotlight for far less painful reasons. It is safe to say that the risky decision made 18 years ago was worth it.
Read more in Serie A news. and related tags: De Cuyper, Add Paran.