TEHRAN – Former Iran winger Mehdi Mahdavikia played in a very special match, contested between FIFA Arab Legends and FIFA World Legends Friday night.

The match brought 3,500 fans together at the spectacular Al Thumama Stadium on the eve of the FIFA Arab Cup final. Those fans were, indeed, the first to be thanked by FIFA president Gianni Infantino before he went on in his address on to pay tribute to the players, match officials and “all the people who make football truly magic”.

Infantion and Mahdavikia played in FIFA Arab Legends team and won the match in penalty shootout.

Mahdavikia, a former star of Hamburger SV, currently leads Iran U23 football team.

He will coach the team at the 2022 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan.