Alireza Safar Beiranvand (, (); born 21 September 1992) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Persian Gulf Pro League club Persepolis and the Iran national team. He is considered as one of the best Asian goalkeepers of all time.
Beiranvand represented Iran internationally at the 2015 and 2019 AFC Asian Cups, and at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
In 2017, Beiranvand became the first Iranian ever to be nominated for an individual award at The Best FIFA Football Awards. He has been the best goalkeeper in the Persian Gulf Pro League for four consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2019 and has also been the Iranian Footballer of the Year in 2019. With 23 clean sheets in 37 matches during the 2017–18 season, he ranked as the second goalkeeper in the world for the cleanest sheets.
Early life
Beiranvand was born in the small village of Sarab-e Yas in Khorramabad County, Lorestan Province, and grew up in a nomadic family of Kurdish origin, more particularly the Lak tribe. In his teenage years, Beiranvand ran away from home and moved to Tehran in order to make his dream of becoming a professional footballer, where he was homeless for some time.
Beiranvand got married in 2010 at the age of 18, resulting in a son named Taha and a daughter named Barana.
Club career
Naft Tehran
Beiranvand has played with Naft Tehran since 2011. He made his debut in the Hazfi Cup against Damash on 25 October 2011. There were links between him and the red half of Tehran, Persepolis, but the chairman of Naft Tehran, Mansour Ghanbarzadeh, did not allow him to leave the club. In his first year as the first-choice goalkeeper, Beiranvand led the team to a 3rd place League finish and a spot in the AFC Champions League for the first time in the club's history. On 23 March 2014, he extended his contract with the club until June 2019. On 24 November 2014, Beiranvand provided an assist in their match against Tractor Sazi by throwing the ball into the opponent's half.
He was linked with a move to Persepolis in January 2016, but the move fell through at the last moment. Beiranvand left Naft at the end of the 2015–16 season after his contract expired.
Persepolis
On 16 May 2016, Beiranvand signed a two–year contract with league runners-up Persepolis. In 2017 Beiranvand extended his contract with the club until 2021. In December 2017, in a match against Foolad, Beiranvand set a League record of going 718 minutes without conceding a goal, which was later broken by Esteghlal goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini.
Beiranvand was named 2018 AFC Champions League semi-final first leg player of the week following his performance against Al Sadd. He was also "Man of the match" and with "Team of the Week" 2nd leg after saved many Al Sadd's chances and help Persepolis to reach the final, His five clean sheets during the competition was the most of any goalkeeper. He was reportedly chosen as one of the candidates for the 2018 Asian Footballer of the Year award, but his exclusion was described by Asian football writers as a big shock, and an outrageous and scandalous event. The following season Beiranvand kept 16 clean sheets in 2018–19 Pro League and claimed Golden Gloves for three Years in a row and four times as a whole.
Antwerp
In late July 2020, Jupiler Pro League side Royal Antwerp confirmed the signing of Beiranvand a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
Boavista (loan) On 10 July 2021, Beiranvand joined Primeira Liga side Boavista on a one-year loan, with a purchase option for €1 million.
Return to Persepolis
Beiranvand joined Persepolis on 31 May 2022 with a new 3-year contract on a free transfer.
International career
Youth levels
He represented Iran at various youth levels, such as the U-19 team during the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship and the U-22 team in the 2013 U-22 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Senior team
In April 2014, he was called up to the Iran national football team training camp in South Africa by coach Carlos Queiroz after many Sepahan players could not make it because of AFC Champions League matches, including goalkeeper Rahman Ahmadi. He was also selected in Iran's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, Beiranvand was not included in Iran's squad for the World Cup, without playing any match in pre-World Cup friendly matches. He was called into Iran's 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad on 30 December 2014 by Carlos Queiroz. He made his debut in a friendly match against Iraq on 4 January 2015, just before the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.