Javad Nekounam

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Javad Nekounam
Javad Nekounam.JPG
Nekounam after the match against Syria in 2006
Personal information
Full name Javad Nekounam
Date of birth 7 September 1980 (1980-09-07) (age 31)
Place of birth Rey, Iran
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Osasuna
Number 6
Youth career
Naft Tehran
Saipa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1998–2005 Pas 179 (45)
2005–2006 Al-Wahda 11 (3)
2006 Al-Sharjah 11 (5)
2006– Osasuna 141 (24)
National team‡
1998–2000 Iran U20
2002 Iran U23 6 (2)
2000– Iran 125 (30)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 February 2012.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 February 2012

Javad Nekounam (Persian: جواد نکونام‎; born 7 September 1980 in Rey) 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.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early years / UAE

Having played for Pas Tehran F.C. for several years and played in AFC Champions League for PAS, in 2005 Nekounam signed a 5-month contract to play for Al-Wahda in the UAE for $1M.[1]

In January 2006, he joined another club in the country, Sharjah FC, although some European clubs such as 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Tottenham Hotspur had shown interest in him.[2]

[edit] Osasuna

After his performance at the 2006 World Cup many clubs in Europe were in the running to sign Nekounam, mainly Hertha Berlin of the Bundesliga and French Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Lyonnais, but he eventually joined La Liga side CA Osasuna on a two-year contract,[3] with an option to a third year with player and club agreement, with a €5 million minimum release-fee clause on his contract. He thus became the first Iranian player to be signed by a Spanish club.[4] After a particularly successful first season, Nekounam began to attract interest from other European clubs noticeably Scottish club Rangers, who had a £1 million pound offer rejected.[5]

On August 14, Nekounam suffered an ACL rupture in his right knee[6] and, after undergoing a successful surgery in Augsburg, Germany, missed eight months of action. His number 24 was given to new signing Jaroslav Plašil, as he recovered from his injury.

On 24 November 2007, Osasuna showed faith in Nekounam signing a three-year contract extension on his existing contract that was set to end on 30 June of the following year, with a €5M buy-out clause for the first two seasons and €2.5M for the last.[7]

In February 2008, Nekounam made his first training appearance since the injury. Incidentally, a week later, Swiss Xavier Margairaz (teammate and also a central midfielder) suffered a similar injury, missing an estimate period that could amount to one year. On 27 April, he made his long-awaited return against Valencia CF, replacing Francisco Puñal in the 70th minute, in a 0–3 away loss.

On 31 August 2008, Nekounam scored Osasuna's first goal of the season, from the penalty spot, in a 1–1 home draw against Villarreal CF.[8] In November/December, he also netted, but the Navarrese failed to win at Málaga CF (2–4)[9] and with Real Valladolid (3–3),[10] also scoring, on 18 January 2009, the opener against Real Madrid, in a 1–3 away loss.[11]

On 22 March 2009, Nekounam scored a last-minute goal against RCD Espanyol (1–0 home win),[12] and finished the season as Osasuna's second goalscorer, behind Walter Pandiani, scoring nine times in the league (a career-best in Spain). In the 2009 summer, Osasuna received offers from both Espanyol and Villarreal, with the latter in particular being ready to pay the €5M buy-out clause in Nekounam's contract. However, the player repeatedly insisted to be "happy at the club", waiting until he "hears some better deals".[13][14]

Nekounam was again a regular starter for Osasuna in the 2010–11 season, but also spent one month at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup with his national team. On 20 February 2011, in the second game upon his return from Qatar, he scored twice in a 4–0 home win against Espanyol,[15] and eventually finished the campaign with six goals in 26 appearances, as his team again avoided relegation.

On 21 May 2011, Nekounam renewed his contract with Osasuna for another two seasons, with the option of an annual renewal of his link.[16] He was named as Osasuna's best player in 2011 and was also named as one of the bests in 2010-11 La Liga. He made an excellent start to the 2011–12 La Liga scoring 2 last minute winning goals against RCD Espanyol and Real Betis. He captained the team against FC Barcelona in Copa del Rey, round of 16.

[edit] International career

Nekounam received his first call-up to Iran in May 2000. He became a starter for the national side during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and, already a key midfield element, played in two of Iran's games during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, being suspended for the final group game against Angola, after his second yellow card, against Portugal.

He won the 2002 Asian Games and 2004 West Asian Football Federation Championship, and also represented Iran in the 2002 West Asian Football Federation Championship and 2004, 2007 and 2011 Asian Cups.

[edit] International goals

[edit] Club statistics

As of 26 February 2012
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
1998–99 Pas Azadegan League 23 2 - -
1999–00 24 5 - -
2000–01 21 5 - -
2001–02 Iran Pro League 25 4 - -
2002–03 25 7 - -
2003–04 25 10 - -
2004–05 25 9 8 4
2005–06 11 3 0 0 - - 11 3
United Arab Emirates League President's Cup Asia Total
2005–06 Al-Wahda UAE League 11 3 0 0 - - 11 3
Al-Sharjah 11 5 3 3 - - 14 8
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2006–07 Osasuna La Liga 24 2 3 0 11 1 38 3
2007–08 2 0 0 0 - - 2 0
2008–09 35 8 2 0 - - 37 8
2009–10 31 3 2 0 - - 31 3
2010–11 26 6 2 0 - - 28 6
2011–12 23 5 5 1 - - 28 6
Total Iran 184 46 8 4
United Arab Emirates 22 8 3 3 - - 25 11
Spain 141 23 13 1 11 1 162 25
Career total 336 76 19 5


[17]

Iran national team
Year Apps Goals
2000 6 0
2001 10 0
2002 12 0
2003 12 1
2004 18 7
2005 11 4
2006 11 2
2007 8 4
2008 8 4
2009 8 2
2010 6 1
2011 13 4
Total 124 30

[edit] Honours

[edit] Team

PAS Tehran

[edit] Country

[edit] Individual

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Nekounam states Euro ambition". Sky Sports. http://msnsport.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=347894&plid=45818&clid=163&cpid=22. Retrieved 7 April 2007. [dead link]
  2. ^ "Buh, Bye". The Guardian. 10 July 2007. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2005/jul/10/newsstory.sport2. 
  3. ^ "Osasuna sign Javad Nekounam". Persian Football. http://www.persianfootball.com/pfdcnews20060705451580103617.htm. Retrieved 7 July 2006. [dead link]
  4. ^ Javad Nekounam - Osasuna's new star
  5. ^ Gers miss out on Iranian ace
  6. ^ Nekounam sidelined at Osasuna; UEFA.com, 16 August 2007
  7. ^ Javad Nekounam renueva su contrato hasta 2011 (Javad Nekounam renews contract until 2011); Osasuna's website, 24 November 2007 (Spanish)
  8. ^ "Osasuna 1-1 Villarreal". ESPN Soccernet. 31 August 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/252846?cc=5739. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
  9. ^ "Málaga 4-2 Osasuna". ESPN Soccernet. 30 November 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/252923?cc=5739. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
  10. ^ "Osasuna 3-3 Valladolid". ESPN Soccernet. 7 December 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/252782?cc=5739. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
  11. ^ "Real Madrid 3-1 Osasuna". ESPN Soccernet. 18 January 2009. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/252960?cc=5739. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
  12. ^ "Osasuna 1-0 Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 22 March 2011. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/253042?cc=5739. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
  13. ^ Javad Nekounam not interested in leaving Osasuna; Goal.com, 21 June 2009
  14. ^ Villarreal looking to recruit Iran's Nekounam; Press TV, 17 June 2009
  15. ^ "Nekounam at the double". ESPN Soccernet. 20 February 2011. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/301870?cc=5739. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
  16. ^ Iranian duo to stay at Osasuna; Persian Football, 31 May 2011
  17. ^ "Javad Nekounam - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/nekounam-intl.html. Retrieved 16 April 2011. 

[edit] External links

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CA Osasuna – current squad
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Mehdi Mahdavikia		 Iran national football team captain
2009–Present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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