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Parviz, like many of his peers, began his football journey in the slums and back streets of Tehran. In 1965, he achieved his first recognition by winning the scholastic championship of Tehran with his school team, Adeeb. This marked the beginning of a long trail of championships for the highly talented Parviz.
His passion for sports began with volleyball, as his talents were discovered early on. He became a skilled volleyball player and was often seen playing volleyball in school and in the neighborhood with his friends Asghar Sheeravani, Mohammed Darani, Taqi Shabanali, and a few others. He made a name for himself in the streets of Shabaz Jonnobi and Khiayban Atabak. He also enjoyed the challenge of playing volleyball and winning a few tomans by betting against the opposition.
One day, while watching some of his other friends playing in the neighborhood, he fancied playing football and since then, he never looked back.
Parviz joined the Alborz team, which was affiliated with Kayan Club and was considered their second team. It took him less than a year of playing with Alborz to catch the eyes by displaying outstanding skills. The legendary AmirAssefi discovered him and immediately enrolled him in the full team of the parent club Kayan.
This was to be a long-lasting relationship between AmirAssefi and Parviz Ghleechkani, in which Parviz once remarked:
"Amir Khan was not only a coach to me, he was much bigger than that. He was my mentor, my teacher, and my inspirational guide. He taught me a lot about life and showed me the ways and methods of self-respect and respect for others. He was my idol."
At the tender age of 18 years, Parviz made his debut for Kayan against the mighty Shahin in the 1963 season. Although Shahin won that game 3-2, Parviz was the star of Amjadiya that day and managed to attract a lot of attention to himself in the debut match. It was the day that a star was born.
In 1964, less than a year after his club debut, Parviz Ghleechkhani was selected for the National Team (Team Melli) and was a squad member who flew to Tokyo for the 1964 Summer Olympics. In the Olympic games, he was an immediate starter. Parviz played in all three games, and although Iran was eliminated from the group stages, on his return, a lot was said and spoken about the skills and the tenacity of this young player. He was nicknamed the "Brave Kayani" for his obvious fighting spirit and never-die attitude.
In 1965 a new tournament was created under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Pact, in which Iran teamed along with Turkey and Pakistan. This was to be an annual tournament played in different countries each year. Ghleechkhani was in the Team Melli squad for the first tournament.
Iran beat Pakistan comfortably 4-1 but it was the decider game against Turkey that highlighted the remarkable skills of young Ghleechkhani. In that match, the head coach, Hossein Fekri, assigned young Parviz to mark the best Turkish player, Aver. This Turkish left winger was extremely fast and a seasoned goal scorer. Ghleechkhani neutralized the Turkish striker during the whole period of that game and Aver, was never able to demonstrate his superiority in that game. A few Turkish clubs immediately pounced on the opportunity to recruit this young Iranian.
Galatasaray sent two representatives to Parviz, while Ogun, the Fenerbachche Captain, who was also a member of the Turkish national team, started negotiations with Parviz. In response to the interests of the Turks, an overwhelmed Ghleechkhani said:
" I am still a young boy, I still need to get permission from my parents to leave home. Although I would love to respond to your offers, believe me, I just think it is far too early in my career to think about professionalism outside my home country. Thank you !"
The Turks left disappointed, unable to convince the young man to leave his country. However, that was not the end of foreign interest in Ghleechkhani. Nurenburg, the German Bundesliga club, showed similar interest to the Turks after an exhibition game against a Tehran Selection Team. Parviz declined the German offer once again.
After five years of playing with Kayan, he left for Taj Club right after the Asian Championship in 1968. This was the first club change in his illustrious career and certainly not his last. His skills on the pitch were matched by his volatile and strong-minded attitude off the pitch. Being an outspoken player off the field and displaying a strong-headed attitude resulted in various clashes with coaches and managers. That led him to move from one club to another in his career. He left Taj to join Pas club before moving to Oghab and eventually leaving for Persepolis.
While playing for Taj, the Iran Military team picked Ghleechkhani for the squad that traveled to Athens, Greece for the World Military Football championship. In the tournament, Iran managed to secure third place. The Greeks were also impressed with his skills and Olympiakos offered Ghleechkhani a contract, but like the other three offers before, he declined yet again.
In 1966, Parviz participated in the fifth Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. The team won the silver medal after losing the final to a solitary goal against Burma. Parviz played in the final.
One feature that Ghleechkhani has left with the crowds in Iran is his remarkable and powerful kicks. The historic goal against Israel in the 1968 Asian Nations Cup finals was a classic. A long-range shot that rattled the Israeli goal proved to be the winning goal for Iran against Israel after Kalani scored the first goal. Iran was the new Champions of Asia.
His first success at the club level with Taj was in the Cup competition in 1968. The year after that, while playing against Pas Club in the league, he was severely injured. That injury eventually required an operation which put him out of action for over six months.
That injury proved to be quite bitter for Ghleechkhani as he missed the opportunity to play with his Club Taj in the Asian Clubs Championship, which Taj won without him in 1970. It also deprived him of winning the inaugural Player of the Year trophy, for which he was a strong candidate. He also lost the opportunity to celebrate with Iran in winning the RCD Cup for the second time.
In 1971, a fit again Ghleechkhani played for Taj in the Asian Clubs Championship in Bangkok. Taj lost the championship crown but managed to win the third-place match.
In 1972, Ghleechkhani was a member of Team Melli which won the second Asian Nations Cup in Bangkok defeating South Korea 2-1 in the final match.
The Turks left disappointed, unable to convince the young man to leave his country. However, that was not the end of foreign interest in Ghleechkhani. Nurenburg, the German Bundesliga club, showed similar interest to the Turks after an exhibition game against a Tehran Selection Team. Parviz declined the German offer once again.
After five years of playing with Kayan, he left for Taj Club right after the Asian Championship in 1968. This was the first club change in his illustrious career and certainly not his last. His skills on the pitch were matched by his volatile and strong-minded attitude off the pitch. Being an outspoken player off the field and displaying a strong-headed attitude resulted in various clashes with coaches and managers. That led him to move from one club to another in his career. He left Taj to join Pas club before moving to Oghab and eventually leaving for Persepolis.
While playing for Taj, the Iran Military team picked Ghleechkhani for the squad that traveled to Athens, Greece for the World Military Football championship. In the tournament, Iran managed to secure third place. The Greeks were also impressed with his skills and Olympiakos offered Ghleechkhani a contract, but like the other three offers before, he declined yet again.
In 1966, Parviz participated in the fifth Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. The team won the silver medal after losing the final to a solitary goal against Burma. Parviz played in the final.
One feature that Ghleechkhani has left with the crowds in Iran is his remarkable and powerful kicks. The historic goal against Israel in the 1968 Asian Nations Cup finals was a classic. A long-range shot that rattled the Israeli goal proved to be the winning goal for Iran against Israel after Kalani scored the first goal. Iran was the new Champions of Asia.
His first success at the club level with Taj was in the Cup competition in 1968. The year after that, while playing against Pas Club in the league, he was severely injured. That injury eventually required an operation which put him out of action for over six months.
That injury proved to be quite bitter for Ghleechkhani as he missed the opportunity to play with his Club Taj in the Asian Clubs Championship, which Taj won without him in 1970. It also deprived him of winning the inaugural Player of the Year trophy, for which he was a strong candidate. He also lost the opportunity to celebrate with Iran in winning the RCD Cup for the second time.
In 1971, a fit again Ghleechkhani played for Taj in the Asian Clubs Championship in Bangkok. Taj lost the championship crown but managed to win the third-place match.
In 1972, Ghleechkhani was a member of Team Melli which won the second Asian Nations Cup in Bangkok defeating South Korea 2-1 in the final match. This was the second Asian title for Ghleechkhani.
Parviz Ghleechkhani was a versatile and utility player who excelled in all three posts, Defense, midfield, and Attack. This was to prove to be perhaps one of the drawbacks of his career.
However, the real role that would be the hallmark of his career was the midfield position. His vision, powerful kicks, scoring ability, and stamina were ideal for that post. Although fairly short, his aerial skills were remarkable for this utility player.
Ghleechkhanis first game as the Captain of Team Melli came in the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. After the retirement of Mostafa Arab, he was given the armband and the honors of leading Iran in the first match against Hungary.
His performance in The Brazil Independence Cup in 1972 where he scored against Ireland and Ecuador and the Olympic games in Munich in the same year was perhaps the best career performance of Ghleechkhani.
In 1973, Ghleechkhani achieved another unforgettable feat when he scored two goals against Australia in less than 30 minutes of play during the last match of the FIFA World Cup 1974 qualification round. A penalty kick and a 30-meter long-range strike, a Ghleechkhani specialty, left the Australian goalkeeper gasping for air and the 120,000 partisan crowd in Arayamehr stadium ecstatic.
However, that game against Australia turned out to be his biggest career disappointment. Despite Iran winning the match 2-0, they lost on aggregate after a defeat in Sydney by a three-goal margin. Consequently, Iran failed to qualify for the World Cup 1974.
In 1974, following the illustrious performance of the previous year and the heartbreaking failure to reach the finals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time, Ghleechkhani was soon back on a winning trail. This time, it was in the Asian Games in Tehran where he led Iran to victory against Israel in the final with a score of 1-0.
In 1976, Ghleechkhani achieved an unprecedented feat in Asian Football. For the third time in a row, he was the Asian Nations Cup winner with Team Melli. He lifted the Cup as the Captain after beating Kuwait 1-0 in Arayamehr Stadium. This record remains unequalled and the chances of such an achievement being equaled or broken seem unlikely.
Ghleechkhani played for the national team intermittently for 10 years, starting from the Olympic Games in Tokyo 1964. His debut was against East Germany. His final game was a friendly in March 1977 against Hungary while Iran was preparing for the World Cup 1978 qualification. Unfortunately, Ghleechkhani never made it to the team for Argentina, which would have capped a marvelous career for him. His exclusion was not related to football as he was arrested for political activity and was made to appear publicly on TV apologizing for his actions.
Despite his fiery rebel character, Ghleechkhani never achieved his full potential mainly due to some unfortunate injuries and later on his political activities that brought the wrath of the authorities and the football federation upon him.
He remains one of the legends of Iranian football. He was one of the most complete players that flourished in his era. His passion for football was unequaled. His bravery, stamina, power, and dedication to the team left an eternal mark on the football grounds of Iran.
His refusal to play for foreign teams with lucrative contracts and benefits was a sign of his loyalty to his homeland. His unfortunate problems with the authorities led to his imprisonment and eventually his retirement from football. After the revolution, he quietly left Iran for Europe. It is believed that he is still working and living in France.
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Club:
Pas
D.O.B:
04.Nov.46
Born:
Tehran
Height:
173 cm
Weight:
72 Kg
International Debut:
East Germany 06-Oct-64
Position:
Defender/Midfield
Age:
77
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