Ali Parvin
The fiery heart of Persepolis, a footballer whose name is synonymous with loyalty and passion in Iranian sports.
Born 1946 (age 80)·Iranian football player and coach·Birthday: September 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
In the intense world of Tehran football, where club allegiance borders on religion, Ali Parvin is Persepolis. For eighteen years as a player, his technical skill, vision, and relentless engine in midfield made him the team's creative pulse. He wasn't just a participant in the club's golden era of the 1970s; he was its symbol, leading Persepolis to multiple league titles and cementing the club's identity as a team of the people. His international career peaked as a key member of Iran's 1978 World Cup squad, the nation's first appearance on that stage. After hanging up his boots, Parvin's story with the club deepened. He transitioned into management, serving three separate stints as head coach and later as club president, guiding Persepolis through political upheavals and sporting challenges. His life represents a rare continuum in modern sport: a local boy who became a legend, then a steward, his fate forever intertwined with the red shirts of his only club.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ali was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ali Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Ali's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played his entire 18-year club career for Persepolis, winning multiple Iranian league championships.
- Represented Iran at the 1978 FIFA World Cup, the country's first-ever appearance in the tournament.
- Served as head coach of Persepolis for a combined 17 years across three different periods.
- Held the position of President of Persepolis Football Club, overseeing its operations.
Did You Know?
His nickname is 'Sultan', a testament to his revered status in Iranian football.
Parvin was known for his distinctive mustache, which became part of his iconic look.
Despite his fame, he spent almost his entire playing career within Iran's domestic league.
He is often cited as one of the greatest Asian footballers of the 20th century.
“My heart beats for Persepolis; the pitch is my home.”
