Gholamhossein Mazloumi
An Iranian football hero whose graceful playmaking led his club to continental glory and cemented his status as a national icon.
1950–2014 (age 64)·Iranian footballer and coach·Birthday: January 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Gholamhossein Mazloumi, nicknamed 'Sar Talaei' (Golden Head) for his aerial prowess and intelligence, was the elegant architect of one of Iranian football's greatest triumphs. Born in 1950, the midfielder's vision and technical grace became the heartbeat of Taj (now Esteghlal) Tehran in the 1970s. His legacy is forever tied to 1970, when he captained Taj to victory in the Asian Club Championship, a watershed moment for Iranian sport. Mazloumi's class translated to the national team, where he was a pivotal figure. After hanging up his boots, he transitioned into management, guiding Esteghlal to another league title and later serving as a football administrator. His untimely death in 2014 was mourned by a nation, closing the chapter on a player remembered not for brute force, but for the thoughtful, winning football he orchestrated.
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.
Gholamhossein was born in 1950, 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 Gholamhossein Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Gholamhossein's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2014Died at 64
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Captained Taj Tehran to victory in the 1970 Asian Club Championship, the first for an Iranian team.
- Won multiple Iranian league championships with Taj (Esteghlal) during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
- Earned numerous caps for the Iran national football team throughout his playing career.
- Later coached Esteghlal to the Iranian league title in the 1990s.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Sar Talaei', means 'Golden Head' in Persian.
He spent almost his entire club playing career with Taj (Esteghlal) Tehran.
He served as the head of the Iranian Football Federation's Coaching Committee.
A street near the Azadi Stadium in Tehran is named in his honor.
“The ball must move with thought, not just with the foot.”
