TEHRAN – Mir Saeid Marouf Lakerani, is a name that volleyball fans in Iran and in the world will never forget.

The legendary setter turned 39 on Saturday.

Marouf led Team Melli in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. He is part of the golden generation, who dominated Asia for about a decade.

He has enjoyed an amazing career with several clubs in Iran and has ventured abroad to showcase his playmaking talent in Russia, Italy and China.

At national team level he moved up the ranks through Iran's U19 and U21 teams before joining the senior team in 2005, winning numerous medals at continental and world level, as well as a host of individual awards.

Marouf left a lasting legacy for sport in Iran, having helped shape the national team into the world volleyball power it is today. And for fans around the world, he has certainly provided entertainment like few others before him, while inspiring younger generations of setters with his masterful playmaking.

"I would like to say goodbye to volleyball in silence, but well, this is a good time to talk. See you soon," wrote setter and captain Marouf in his farewell message on Instagram in August 2021.

The 39-year-old player orchestrated Iran through his ability for two decades and led a team that became one of the best in the world.

Marouf left a ‘void that can never be filled’.