Hamid Alidousti, the former Iran national team striker and one of the most respected figures in Iranian football, died on Sunday in Tehran after a long battle with cancer. He was 70.
Alidoosti passed away at Atiyeh Hospital in Tehran, succumbing to cardiac arrest following prolonged treatment for prostate and bone cancer . His death prompted an outpouring of grief from across Iranian football and beyond, with tributes emphasizing not only his achievements on the pitch but the refinement and integrity that defined him off it.
Born on March 12, 1956, in Tehran's 17 Shahrivar neighbourhood, Alidoosti rose to prominence with Homa, a club that in his era commanded a devoted following without the polarising weight of Esteghlal or Persepolis . He later played for Daraei, Keshavarz, and Saipa, and in 1986 became one of the first Iranian footballers after the revolution to play in Europe, joining German side Salmrohr .
Between 1977 and 1986, Alidousti earned 27 caps for Iran and scored 15 goals—a strike rate that speaks to his sharpness as a forward . He represented his country at the 1980 and 1984 Asian Cups and the 1982 and 1986 Asian Games, forming part of a generation of Iranian footballers whose international careers were shaped and constrained by the circumstances of the time .
After retiring as a player, Alidousti turned to coaching with the same seriousness he had brought to his playing days. He led Paykan, Saipa, Homa, and Tractor, and coached Iran's U-20 and U-17 national teams . He held the highest coaching credentials available in Asia and Europe, and at the time of his death was serving as technical director at Chadormalou Ardakan .
Those who knew him spoke of a man whose interests extended far beyond the touchline. Alidousti was a devoted reader, a lover of cinema and music—he named his daughter, the actress Taraneh Alidousti, after his passion for music . Rضا Sa'emi, a film critic, recalled him as "a man of books and cinema and music, for whom reading and watching and listening were not hobbies but part of a way of living" .
Taranah , the daughter of Hamid Alidousti
Yahya Golmohammadi, the newly appointed U-23 coach, described him as "not only a great and decorated player, but a noble, educated, and cultured human being" . Referee Alireza Faghani recalled sending Alidousti off during an early match in his officiating career, only for the coach to visit the dressing room afterwards to congratulate him on his courage and offer advice that proved invaluable. Mohammad Khakpour, who played against him, remembered "a smart, cunning, and difficult-to-mark forward" whose "gentlemanly conduct" left a deeper impression than any match .
Hamid Alidousti is survived by his family, including his daughter Taraneh. Iranian football mourns not merely a former player and coach, but a standard-bearer for a kind of quiet, cultured dignity that the game in Iran can ill afford to lose.
Alidousti Career with Team Melli