Mehrab Shahrokhi

Mehrab Shahrokhi
	File:Persepolis Takht Jamshid Cup 1973.jpg
Personal information
Full name	Mehrab Shahrokhi
Date of birth	February 2, 1944
Place of birth	Ahvaz, Iran
Date of death	February 1, 1993 (aged 48)
Place of death	Tehran, Iran
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1960–1962	Shenaye Ahvaz
Senior career*
Years	Team
1962–1963	Shenaye Ahvaz
1963–1966	Shahin
1966–1967	Daraei
1967–1970	Paykan
1970–1975	Persepolis
1975–1976	Shahbaz
International career
1963–1974	Iran
Managerial career
1977–1982	Persepolis
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mehrab Shahrokhi (محراب شاهرخی in Persian) (February 2, 1944 - February 1, 1993) was an Iranian footballer born in Ahvaz, Iran. He was an Afro-Iranian from Southern Iran. He was nicknamed The Black Bomber (Persian: بمب افکن سیاه) because of his style of play and dark skin and his kicks that no one could stop the ball.

Club career

Shahrokhi began his football career in his birthplace, Ahvaz, playing for Shenaye Ahvaz Club. In 1963 he moved to Tehran and began playing for Shahin F.C.. Shahrokhi left for Daraei F.C. in 1966, after problems with Shahin's management. His spell at Darei was short-lived, moving first to Paykan F.C. and then to Persepolis F.C.. There he could win the Iranian championship in 1972 and 1974.

He continued playing with Persepolis until 1974 and retired from football in 1975.

International career

While still in Ahvaz, in 1963 Shahrokhi was invited to join the Iranian national football team. He was to participate in the football tournament of the 1964 Summer Olympics, but he missed out after boycotting the team along with a number of other Shahin players. They refused to accompany the national team because the national team director — a fan of Shahin's rival, Daraei F.C. — had decided to drop several Shahin players from the squad in favor of Daraei players. A number of players including Shahrokhi were banned from any involvement in football for one year.

In 1968 he won with the national team its first major title, the Asian Cup in Iran.

Retirement

In 1976 came Shahrokhi's debut in Iranian cinema, acting in a movie called Alafhaye Harz. Acting was not his passion though, and he became the manager of several teams after retirement, but was not able to achieve anything impressive, as the Iranian Revolution and Iran–Iraq War caused football's presence to diminish in 1980s Iran.

Death

Mehrab Shahrokhi died on February 1, 1993, dying an impoverished man having spent most of his wealth keeping afloat his beloved Persepolis during the club's darkest days. He spent most of his money and wealth helping friends and the needy people and spent most of his time among his friends. He had two kids at the time he passed, one girl (Mona) and one boy (Ali)He will always be remembered as a savior of Persepolis.

References

سوگواره بمب افکن سياه...