View source for Ferydoon Zandi

{{Short description|Iranian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Ferydoon Zandi
| image          = Fereydon Zandi.jpg
| caption        = Zandi in [[Saipa F.C.|Saipa]] training in 2015
| full_name      = Fereydon Zandi<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Iran |publisher=FIFA |page=14 |date=21 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|4|26}}
| birth_place    = [[Emden]], [[West Germany]]
| height         = 1.85 m
| currentclub    = 
| position       = [[Attacking midfielder]] 
| youthyears1    = 1985–1988
| youthclubs1    = Blau-Weiß Borssum
| youthyears2    = 1988–1992
| youthclubs2    = [[SV Meppen]]
| youthyears3    = 1992–1993
| youthclubs3    = [[SV Werder Bremen|Werder Bremen]]
| youthyears4    = 1993–1995
| youthclubs4    = TuS Esens
| youthyears5    = 1995–1998
| youthclubs5    = SV Meppen
| years1         = 1998–2000
| clubs1         = [[SV Meppen]]
| caps1          = 60
| goals1         = 15
| years2         = 2000–2001
| clubs2         = [[SC Freiburg II]]
| caps2          = 25
| goals2         = 7
| years3         = 2000–2002
| clubs3         = [[SC Freiburg]]
| caps3          = 10
| goals3         = 0
| years4         = 2002–2004
| clubs4         = [[VfB Lübeck]]
| caps4          = 54
| goals4         = 20
| years5         = 2004–2006
| clubs5         = [[1. FC Kaiserslautern]]
| caps5          = 45
| goals5         = 6
| years6         = 2006
| clubs6         = [[TuS Koblenz]]
| caps6          = 8
| goals6         = 0
| years7         = 2007
| clubs7         = [[Apollon Limassol FC|Apollon Limassol]]
| caps7          = 10
| goals7         = 2
| years8         = 2008
| clubs8         = [[Olympiakos Nicosia]]
| caps8          = 10
| goals8         = 4
| years9         = 2008–2009
| clubs9         = [[Alki Larnaca FC|Alki Larnaca]]
| caps9          = 23
| goals9         = 12
| years10        = 2009–2011
| clubs10        = [[Steel Azin F.C.|Steel Azin]]
| caps10         = 41
| goals10        = 2
| years11        = 2011–2012
| clubs11        = [[Esteghlal FC|Esteghlal]]
| caps11         = 29
| goals11        = 4
| years12        = 2012–2014
| clubs12        = [[Al Ahli SC (Doha)|Al Ahli]]
| caps12         = 3
| goals12        = 0
| totalcaps      = 318
| totalgoals     = 72
| nationalyears1 = 2001
| nationalteam1  = [[Germany national under-21 football team|Germany U21]]
| nationalcaps1  = 5
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2005–2009
| nationalteam2  = [[Iran national football team|Iran]]
| nationalcaps2  = 29<ref>{{NFT|3220}}</ref>
| nationalgoals2 = 5
| manageryears1  = 2016–2020
| managerclubs1  = [[FC St. Pauli II|St. Pauli II]] (assistant)
| manageryears2  = 2020–2022
| managerclubs2  = [[Dynamo Dresden]] (assistant)
}}
'''Ferydoon Zandi''' (born 26 April 1979) is an Iranian retired professional [[Association football|footballer]].

==Early life==
Zandi was born in the city of [[Emden]], in northern Germany, to an Iranian father and a German mother. He speaks [[German language|German]] and [[Persian language|Persian]]. He started playing football at an early age when his talent shone through his playing for a number of youth clubs in and near his hometown.

==Club career==
===Germany===
Zandi was called up for the [[Germany national football team|Germany under-17 national football team]] and played for [[SV Meppen]] before being signed by [[SC Freiburg]]. There, he failed to establish himself as a starter and was traded to the [[2. Bundesliga]] club [[VfB Lübeck]]. After struggling again initially, Zandi broke through and established himself as one of the most dangerous and versatile attackers of the league. He regularly was one of the top scorers and assist givers.

After enjoying two successful seasons in Lübeck, he was signed by [[1. FC Kaiserslautern]] in 2004 and given the number 10.

In the [[2005–06 Bundesliga|2005–06 season]], in which 1. FCK fell to the end of the table, he lost his position as a starting playmaker, was benched for a longer period of time, and had periods when he failed to be nominated as a bench player at all. Trainer [[Wolfgang Wolf]] refused to play him in the second half of the season, and after the relegation of the club, Zandi was confirmed to be cut from the squad. Also, [[Amir Ghalenoei]], the new manager of [[Iran national football team|Iran national team]], did not invite Ferydoon to the Iranian squad for the [[AFC Asian Cup]] qualification games.

In September 2006, he signed a one-year contract with 2. Bundesliga club [[TuS Koblenz]], which he left in January 2007 due to the limited number of appearance he made.

===Cyprus===
On 2 January 2007, Zandi signed a contract till the end of the [[2006–07 Cypriot First Division|2006–07 season]] with [[Apollon Limassol]] of [[Cyprus]].

After his return from the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]] he was linked with moves to [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]], [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]] and [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://revista_presei.rapidfans.ro/2007.07_iulie/30__31.htm |title=Ferydoon Zandi, aproape de un transfer în Giuleşti |work=rapidfans.ro |access-date=1 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929043911/http://revista_presei.rapidfans.ro/2007.07_iulie/30__31.htm |archive-date=29 September 2007 }}</ref>

On 18 January 2008, he joined [[Olympiakos Nicosia]].

On 24 March 2009, Zandi signed [[Alki Larnaca FC|Alki Larnaca]] for a one-year contract where he became the top scorer.

===Iran===
Zandi joined the Iranian side [[Steel Azin F.C.|Steel Azin]] in 2009 and stayed there for two seasons.
After the relegation of [[Steel Azin F.C.|Steel Azin]] he left the club and in August 2011 he joined to [[Esteghlal F.C.|Esteghlal]]<ref>[http://www.khabaronline.ir/news-163939.aspx] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205014854/http://www.khabaronline.ir/news-163939.aspx|date=5 February 2012}}</ref> but he started season with an injury.<ref>[http://www.khabaronline.ir/news-169678.aspx] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925211756/http://www.khabaronline.ir/news-169678.aspx|date=25 September 2011}}</ref> On 22 October 2011, he made his debut for Esteghlal and made an assist against [[Zob Ahan Esfahan F.C.]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://fcesteghlal.ir/NewsView.aspx?id=2886 |title=وب سایت رسمی باشگاه استقلال |access-date=22 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124153658/http://www.fcesteghlal.ir/NewsView.aspx?id=2886 |archive-date=24 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He won the [[Hazfi Cup]] in his first season.

Having been released by Esteghlal on 29 September 2012 Zandi joined the Qatari side [[Al Ahli SC (Doha)|Al Ahli]]. On 5 November 2015, he announced his retirement.

==International career==
Raised in Germany, Zandi did not initially have the permission to play for his ancestral Iran as he did not have Iranian citizenship. However, the [[Iranian Football Federation]] obtained permission for him to play for them, and Zandi began to compete on the [[Iran national football team|Iran national team]] in the second round of [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification]] against Bahrain. After the qualifications he did not compete again on the team until being invited again for the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]].

He was recalled to the national squad in March 2007 for a friendly against [[Qatar national football team|Qatar]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.persianleague.com/news/Morenews.cfm?News=3342 |title=Full-strength Iran for Qatar friendly |publisher=PersianLeague.com |access-date=16 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192005/http://www.persianleague.com/news/Morenews.cfm?News=3342 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> included in the [[Asian Cup]] squad, and was featured for Iran in the friendly match against [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]] in June 2007. On 15 July 2007, Zandi scored from a free kick for Iran in their 2–2 draw versus [[China national football team|China]] in the Asian Cup.

Zandi also played for Iran in the [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]] where after the departure of [[Ali Daei]] he was not invited for around a year and was invited again by [[Afshin Ghotbi]] for a couple of performances but was dropped again. He was invited again after around 18 months by [[Carlos Queiroz]] for a friendly in May 2012 against [[Albania]] where before the match On 28 May 2012, Zandi announced his retirement from International football.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ferydoon Zandi bids farewell to Iran football team |work=Tehran Times |location=Iran |first=Ahmad |last=Ahmadov |date=28 May 2012 |url=http://tehrantimes.com/sports/98310-ferydoon-zandi-bids-farewell-to-iran-football-team- |access-date=28 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528174501/http://www.tehrantimes.com/sports/98310-ferydoon-zandi-bids-farewell-to-iran-football-team- |archive-date=28 May 2012  }}</ref>

==Coaching career==
===Dynamo Dresden===
After signing as assistant coach of [[2. Bundesliga]] club [[Dynamo Dresden]] in 2020, he was named head coach in March 2022 after [[Alexander Schmidt (football manager)|Alexander Schmidt]] was sacked, but was replaced just two days later without managing a match.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dynamo-dresden.de/saison/news/newsdetails/dynamo-dresden-beurlaubt-alexander-schmidt-1.html|title=Dynamo Dresden beurlaubt Alexander Schmidt|website=dynamo-dresden.de|date=1 March 2022|access-date=1 March 2022|language=de|archive-date=6 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506135535/https://www.dynamo-dresden.de/saison/news/newsdetails/dynamo-dresden-beurlaubt-alexander-schmidt-1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Traffic accident==
In 2005, Zandi was victim of a heavy traffic accident on a highway. When another car swerved to the left directly in front of him, Zandi had to evade and crashed into a lorry of the [[United States Air Force]]. The lorry took heavy damage, and Zandi's car was utterly wrecked. Zandi made it out with minor injuries only.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fck.de/aktuell/news/profi/2005/03/zandi_unfall_070305.php|title=Ferydoon Zandi slightly injured in accident|language=de|website=fck.de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050829043102/http://www.fck.de/aktuell/news/profi/2005/03/zandi_unfall_070305.php|archive-date=29 August 2005|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
!rowspan="2"|{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[SV Meppen]]
|[[1998–99 Regionalliga|1998–99]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Regionalliga Nord|Regionalliga]]
|29||5||0||0||colspan="2"|–||29||5
|<ref name=nft>{{cite web |title=Ferydoon Zandi |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/3220/Ferydoon_Zandi.html |website=National Football Teams |access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref><ref name=wf>{{cite web |title=Ferydoon Zandi " Club matches |url=http://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/ferydoon-zandi/2/ |website=worldfootball.net |access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>
|-
|[[1999–2000 Regionalliga|1999–00]]
|31||10||2||0||colspan="2"|–||33||10
|<ref name=nft/><ref name=wf/>
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!60!!15!!2!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!62!!15
!–
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[SC Freiburg II]]
|[[2000–01 Oberliga Baden-Württemberg|2000–01]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Oberliga Baden-Württemberg|Oberliga]]
|19||7||0||0||colspan="2"|–||19||7
|
|-
|[[2001–02 Oberliga Baden-Württemberg|2001–02]]
|6||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||6||0
|
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!25!!7!!0!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!25!!7
!–
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[SC Freiburg]]
|[[2000–01 Bundesliga|2000–01]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Bundesliga]]
|7||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||9||0
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
|[[2001–02 Bundesliga|2001–02]]
|3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||4||0
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!10!!0!!3!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!13!!0
!–
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[VfB Lübeck]]
|[[2002–03 2. Bundesliga|2002–03]]
|rowspan="2"|[[2. Bundesliga]]
|25||6||1||0||colspan="2"|–||26||6
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
|[[2003–04 2. Bundesliga|2003–04]]
|29||14||5||3||colspan="2"|–||34||17
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!54!!20!!6!!3!!colspan="2"|–!!60!!23
!–
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[1. FC Kaiserslautern]]
|[[2004–05 Bundesliga|2004–05]]
|rowspan="2"|Bundesliga
|26||6||2||3||colspan="2"|–||28||9
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
|[[2005–06 Bundesliga|2005–06]]
|19||0||3||1||colspan="2"|–||22||1
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!45!!6!!5!!4!!colspan="2"|–!!50!!10
!–
|-
|[[TuS Koblenz]]
|[[2006–07 2. Bundesliga|2006–07]]||2. Bundesliga
||8||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||8||0
|<ref name=wf/>
|-
|[[Apollon Limassol FC|Apollon Limassol]]
|[[2006–07 Cypriot First Division|2006–07]]
|[[Cypriot First Division]]
|10||2||||||colspan="2"|–||10||2
|<ref name=nft/>
|-
|[[Olympiakos Nicosia]]
|[[2007–08 Cypriot First Division|2007–08]]
|Cypriot First Division
|10||4||||||colspan="2"|–||10||4
|<ref name=nft/>
|-
|[[Alki Larnaca FC|Alki Larnaca]]
|[[2008–09 Cypriot First Division|2008–09]]
|Cypriot First Division
|23||12||||||colspan="2"|–||23||12
|<ref name=nft/>
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Steel Azin F.C.|Steel Azin]]
|[[2009–10 Persian Gulf Cup|2009–10]]||rowspan="2"|[[Persian Gulf Pro League]]
|19||1||1||0||colspan="2"|–||20||1
|
|-
|[[2009–10 Persian Gulf Cup|2010–11]]
|22||1||3||1||colspan="2"|–||25||2
|
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!41!!2!!4!!1!!colspan="2"|–!!45!!3
!–
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Esteghlal F.C.|Esteghlal]]
|[[2011–12 Persian Gulf Cup|2011–12]]
|rowspan="2"|Persian Gulf Pro League
|21||4||4||0||8||1||33||5
|
|-
|[[2012–13 Persian Gulf Cup|2012–13]]||8||0||0||0||0||0||8||0
|
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!29!!4!!4!!0!!8!!1!!42!!5
!–
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Al Ahli SC (Doha)|Al Ahli]]
|[[2012–13 Qatar Stars League|2012–13]]
|[[Qatari 2nd Division|Second Division]]
|0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0
|
|-
|[[2013–14 Qatar Stars League|2013–14]] 
|[[Qatar Stars League|Stars League]]
|3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||3||0
|<ref name=sw>{{cite web |title=F. Zandi |url=https://int.soccerway.com/coaches/ferydoon-zandi/499/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!3!!0!!0!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!3!!0
!–
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!318!!72!!24!!8!!8!!1!!350!!81
!–
|}

===International===
:''Scores and results list Iran's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zandi goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Ferydoon Zandi
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 28 May 2005 || [[Azadi Stadium]], [[Tehran]], Iran || {{fb|Azerbaijan}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|2–1 || [[Friendly (association football)|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 15 July 2007 || [[Bukit Jalil Stadium]], [[Kuala Lumpur]], Malaysia || {{fb|China}} || align="center"|1–2 || align="center"|2–2 || [[2007 AFC Asian Cup Group C|2007 AFC Asian Cup]]
|-
| align="center"|3 || 7 June 2008 || [[Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium]], [[Al Ain]], United Arab Emirates || {{fb|United Arab Emirates}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–0 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| align="center"|4 || rowspan="2"|31 August 2009 || rowspan="2"|[[Bahrain National Stadium]], [[Riffa]], Bahrain || rowspan="2"|{{fb|Bahrain}} || align="center"|1–2 || rowspan="2" align="center"|2–4 || rowspan="2"|Friendly
|-
| align="center"|5 || align="center"|2–3
|}

==Honours==
'''Esteghlal'''
*[[Hazfi Cup]]: [[2011–12 Hazfi Cup|2011–12]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://archive.today/20131105061348/http://www.persianleague.com/teams.html?id=696&view=player&sid=27 Ferydoon Zandi] at [http://www.persianleague.com PersianLeague.com]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090123095939/http://www.zandi-news.com/ Latest news, goal downloads, information on Zandi]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060629202321/http://www.teammelli.com/Roster/ZandiRoster.htm Ferydoon Zandi] at [http://www.teammelli.com TeamMelli.com]
*[http://www.ferydoon-zandi.de Official Website]

{{Navboxes
|title = Iran squads
|bg = white
|fg = #FF0000
|bordercolor = Black
|list1=
{{Iran Squad 2006 World Cup}}
{{Iran Squad 2007 AFC Asian Cup}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zandi, Ferydoon}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Emden]]
[[Category:Footballers from Lower Saxony]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Iranian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Iran men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Germany men's youth international footballers]]
[[Category:Germany men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:German people of Iranian descent]]
[[Category:Regionalliga players]]
[[Category:Oberliga (football) players]]
[[Category:Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:2. Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Cypriot First Division players]]
[[Category:Persian Gulf Pro League players]]
[[Category:Qatari Second Division players]]
[[Category:Qatar Stars League players]]
[[Category:SV Meppen players]]
[[Category:SV Werder Bremen players]]
[[Category:SC Freiburg players]]
[[Category:VfB Lübeck players]]
[[Category:1. FC Kaiserslautern players]]
[[Category:TuS Koblenz players]]
[[Category:Apollon Limassol FC players]]
[[Category:Olympiakos Nicosia players]]
[[Category:Alki Larnaca FC players]]
[[Category:Steel Azin F.C. players]]
[[Category:Esteghlal F.C. players]]
[[Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 AFC Asian Cup players]]
[[Category:Kickers Emden players]]
[[Category:Al Ahli SC (Doha) players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Iranian descent]]
[[Category:FC St. Pauli non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus]]