Esteghlal’s first Asian championship was the result of the courage and perseverance of two men who have both passed away. Coach Zdrako Raikov and Mehdi Haj Mohammad, who passed away just a few days ago. Esteghlal’s achievement did not come easily, and if it weren’t for these two men, the talk of the two stars, which is the greatest pride of Taj (Esteghlal), would probably never have happened. In the fateful match of the Asian Club Cup in Farvardin 1349, Raikov, in a strange and bold move, pulled his captain off the field in the second half and sent the young Mehdi Haj Mohammad in his place.
This substitution, and the enthusiasm and energy of Haj Mohammad, caused Esteghlal to turn the tables, and Esteghlal turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory in the last seven minutes of the game and achieved its first Asian championship. He was not even 20 years old when he won the championship with Taj in the final, but at that age, he was one of the most experienced players on his team. Haj Mohammad, who was born in 1940, played for the Taj youth team and was called up to the senior team by the late Ali Danaeifar at the age of 14. Therefore, he is called the youngest player in the history of Taj (Esteghlal). His greatest achievement is of course winning the Asian Club Cup with this team. Haj Mohammad was a technical and lively left-back who also played for other teams including Dihim, Oqab and Darai Machine Sazi.