Alireza Beiranvand, the goalkeeper for Iran in the FIFA World Cup Group G game vs Belgium, emerged as the hero for the West Asian nation as they persisted in a 0-0 draw against one of the tournament favorites Sunday.
Beiranvand pulled seven critical saves from a Belgium attack led by Napoli star Kevin De Bruyne and Aston Villa's Leandro Trossard, with Manchester City's Jérémy Doku missing the game with an illness. However, the goalkeeper from Persian Gulf Pro League club Tractor kept his forte unbreeched.
With the draw, Group G delivered the second biggest upset of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after Group H favorites Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by Cabo Verde. Besides the scoreline, the two games had one more similarity: much like Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (Josimar Dias), Alireza Beiranvand was the hero of Iran's resilient defense.
In this article, we will look at 5 interesting things to know about Alireza Beiranvand.
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5 Things To Know About Alireza Beiranvand
1. Comes From A Kurdish Lak Nomadic Family
He was born in Khorramabad County in Iran's Lorestan Province, in the country's western part within the Zagros Mountains. He grew up in a Kurdish Lak nomadic family as a shepherd. The Kurdish Lak are a tribal confederation native within the Zagros Mountains.
2. Holds Two Guinness Records
Beiranvand holds two records in the Guinness World Records, which includes the farthest throw ever made in soccer at 200.140 feet. The record was created in a game vs South Korea on October 11, 2016. He holds another record for the longest drop kick at 255.95 feet.
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3. Steller Numbers Vs Belgium
Alireza Beiranvand pulled off seven saves against Belgium, many of them were critical goal line saves that kept his country in the game just by a few inches. He also pulled off 20 of 34 attempted passes successfully and 11 of his 24 long balls found their targets.
4. A Local Star
Beiranvand peaked with his league career in the last decade creating one big record after another in the Persian Gulf Pro league. He was voted the best goalkeeper in the Persian Pro League for four consecutive seasons. He was voted the Iranian Footballer of the Year in 2019 and also is the first ever Iranian to be nominated for the Best FIFA Football Awards.
5. Made Headlines For Saving Ronaldo Penalty
Alireza Beiranvand pulled off a goalkeeping masterclass in the Group stage game against Portugal in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The highlight of the game was Beiranvand saving a 53rd minute penalty from none other than Cristiano Ronaldo, as Iran held the European giants to a 1-1 draw in Saransk.