Hadi Norouzi

Hadi Norouzi

Norouzi in July 2016
Personal information
Full name Hadi Norouzi Pouri
Date of birth (1985-07-19)19 July 1985
Place of birth Kapurchal, Babol, Iran
Date of death

1 October 2015 (2015

-10-01) (aged 30)
Place of death Tehran, Iran
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Striker / Winger
Youth career
2000–2004 Persepolis
2006–2007 Persepolis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Pasargad
2006 Fajr Sepah Tehran
2007–2008 Damash Iranian 22 (10)
2008–2015 Persepolis 150 (35)
2013–2014Naft Tehran (loan) 12 (3)
National team
2009–2011 Iran 9 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 August 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 July 2011

Hadi Norouzi (Persian: هادی نوروزی, 19 July 1985 – 1 October 2015) was an Iranian football striker who last played for Persepolis in the Iran Pro League.[1]

He joined Persepolis youth team in 2000 and was promoted to the first team squad in 2008 by Afshin Ghotbi after spend a short spell at Pasargad and Damash Iranian. In 2013, he joined Naft Tehran in a six-month loan contract. At the end of the season, he was returned to Persepolis and became a regular squad player.

On 1 October 2015, Norouzi died of heart attack in sleep at the age of 30.[2] At the time of his death, he was Persepolis' captain, having been named as the club captain two months before.

Club career

Early years

Norouzi joined Persepolis in summer 2000 from Persepolis U19. He played four seasons for Persepolis U19 and moved to Pasargad. He moved back to Persepolis U21 after he served his conscription in Fajr Sepah Tehran. He left Persepolis U21 teams for Damah Iranian's Senior team of Division 1.

Persepolis

Next year he returned to Persepolis, where he was mostly used as a substitute in 2008–09 season. He was top assistant of Persepolis in 2010–11 season, and extended his contract with Persepolis another two-years in summer 2013, keeping him in the team until 2015.[3]

Loan to Naft Tehran

He joined Naft Tehran with a season-long loan as November 26, 2013.[4] He made 12 appearances for Naft and scored three goals.

Return to Persepolis

Norouzi returned to Persepolis before the start of 2014–15 season after spending six months at Naft Tehran. He was named captain of the club before the start of the 2015–16 season after former captain Mohammad Nouri left the club.

Club career statistics

Norouzi celebrating after scoring a goal for Persepolis against Padideh
As of 25 September 2015.
Club Division Season League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Damash Iranian Division 1 2007–08 2210642814
Persepolis Pro League 2008–09 1523151234
2009–10 30850358
2010–11 2975260409
2011–12 1822040242
2012–13 25453307
201314 10011111
Naft Tehran 12300123
Persepolis 2014–15 2024081323
2015–16 511061
Career Total 18539321123223951
SeasonTeamAssists
08–09Persepolis0
09–102
10–117
11–121
12–134
13–140
Naft Tehran0
14–15Persepolis3
15–161

International career

He started his International Career under Afshin Ghotbi in August 2009 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He played nine international cups.

Death and tributes

Norouzi's clothes and shoes in Persepolis' first training after Norouzi's death at Derafshifar Stadium

In the morning of 1 October 2015, Persepolis team manager Mahmoud Khordbin announced that the club captain Hadi Norouzi died in his sleep from a heart attack. Resuscitation attempts on the way to the hospital failed. Norouzi was 30.[5] Persepolis manager Branko Ivanković describes the news as a big shock for him and his team. Persepolis players and legends like Ali Parvin, Ahmad Reza Abedzadeh, Karim Bagheri and former managers Afshin Ghotbi and Ali Daei paid tributes to Norouzi and his family in their messages. Iran Pro League clubs also paid tributes to Persepolis club and fans in Twitter. Iran national football team players observed a minute's silence for Norouzi at their training camp in United Arab Emirates. Many fans also immediately flocked to Persepolis' training ground, Derafshifar Stadium where he had participated in a training session in last day without any problem, to lay flowers and light candles.

A memorial was held at Azadi Stadium on 2 October which was attended by 20,000 mourners which rivals Esteghlal fans also attended the ceremony. His body was remained at the stadium for one day and then was transferred to Babol. His funeral was held on the following day and he was buried at his hometown, Kapur Chal village at Babol.

On 4 October 2015, former teammate Karim Ansarifard dedicated his goal in his team's 5–1 Greek Super League win to him, by raising a shirt with his name and number (#24, REST IN PEACE CAPTAIN). Iran national under-23 football team players also dedicated their win to Hadi Norouzi during their match against Bahrain at 2015 WAFF U-23 Championship.

In Persepolis' first match after the death of Norouzi, fans cheered-up him in 24th minute. They also made a mosaique at the stadium which shows Norouzi's name and number, "Hadi 24". Persepolis and his native city's club Khoneh Be Khoneh retired their number 24 shirt in his honour. A city square was also renamed to Hadi Norouzi square in his home town Babol.

Personal life

Norouzi had four siblings, all brothers and he was the youngest son of his family. He was married to Masoumeh Ebrahimpour in 2003.[6] The couple had two children, a boy Hani (born 2009)[7] and a girl, Hana (born 2014).

Honours

Persepolis

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hadi Norouzi.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, April 22, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.