Who is Alireza Beiranvand? Iran goalkeeper who made super saves vs Belgium in FIFA World Cup 2026
(Courtesy : Getty)
Alireza Beiranvand made seven saves against Belgium in tonight’s match.
Iran sealed a hard-fought goalless draw against Belgium in their second FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G clash at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 21. Team Melli defended well to deny the Belgian strikers a sniff at a goal, with custodian Alireza Beiranvand making several super saves to protect his clean sheet.
The first save came early in the match, with the tall goalkeeper showing his reflexes to deny a close-range strike from Maxim De Cuyper. In the 22nd minute, the Tractor player made another good save to parry a powerful shot from captain Youri Tielemans.
Tielemans and De Cuyper combined for another move before half-time, with the Brighton full-back trying to find the back of the net with a volley. However, the Iranian goalkeeper stood tall once again, blocking the effort.
However, the moment of the match came just before the hour mark. Leandro Trossard found the run of Kevin De Bruyne, who played a beautiful cross into the box. It was met by De Cuyper, who fired from close range. However, Beiranvand somehow managed to get a strong arm to the ball to tip it behind. His teammates instantly rushed to congratulate him as that save kept Team Melli in the contest.
Despite Belgium going down to 10 men after Nathan Ngoy’s 66th-minute red card, the Red Devils held firm to deny their opponents a winning goal. However, in the moments that they pushed forward, Beiranvand was on hand to protect his goal. His impressive saved eventually earned him the Player of the Match award.
The result earned Iran their second point of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 and kept them in the race to qualify for the knockout stages. They face Egypt in their next group-stage game in Seattle on June 26.
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Alireza Beiranvand Profile
- Age: 33
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Club: Tractor SC
Born in a small village in Khorramabad to a Kurdish nomadic family of shepherds, Alireza Beiranvand ran away from home at a young age and came to Tehran to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional footballer.
With no place to stay and no money, he suffered from homelessness and slept in front of the gates of a local club. He did odd jobs to support himself, including in a car wash where he used his 6-ft-4-inch height to wash SUVs. He also worked in a dressmaking factory, a pizza shop, and even as a street cleaner.
He was finally given a chance to play for Naft Tehran, where he made his senior debut in 2011. After taking over as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, he led them to a third-place finish in the top flight. After his contract expired in 2016, Beiranvand joined Persepolis on a two-year contract.
He made a good start to life with the Tehran giants, setting a league record of 718 minutes without conceding a goal in December 2017. He won three consecutive Golden Gloves in the Iran Pro League, positioning himself as one of the best goalkeepers in his country.
He signed for Belgian side Royal Antwerp in 2020 and made 10 appearances for them. He spent the next season on loan at Portuguese club Boavista. However, he returned to Persepolis in 2022 and played for them for two years.
Tractor SC signed him in 2024, and he became a key player for them. Last season, he made 29 appearances across all competitions, keeping 16 clean sheets.
Alireza Beiranvand made his Team Melli debut in 2015 in a friendly match against Iraq. Since then, he has become the first-choice goalkeeper for the national team, representing his nation in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. However, his campaign in Qatar was brutally cut short after a head injury suffered in the first game against England.
The goalkeeper has earned 88 caps in total, keeping 45 clean sheets. He also has two Guinness World Records to his name. The first is for the longest throw, which he managed in a match against South Korea in 2016 (61.0026 m). The second is for the longest drop kick, which he recorded in a Persepolis vs Zob Ahan match in 2019 (78.014 m).
Who is Alireza Beiranvand?
He is a 33‑year‑old goalkeeper for Tractor SC and Iran’s national team.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.