Bicycle kicks and the emotions of Mehdi: ten facts about Taremi

Born in Bushehr, Iran, on 18 July 18 1992, the new Nerazzurri striker Mehdi Taremi started playing football in the youth teams of his hometown, first with Bargh Bushehr and then with Iranjavan. In 2014, he moved to Persepolis, one of the most important teams in the Iranian league, where he played 112 matches and scored 55 goals, winning two championships. After four successful seasons, he flew to Qatar to join Al-Gharafa in January 2018. A year and a half later, he transferred to Europe, starting his journey with Rio Ave in Portugal in 2019, where he became the top scorer of the Primeira Liga in his one season there. Before joining Inter, he spent four years with Porto, winning a championship and scoring 91 goals in 182 matches.

A FAMILY OF FOOTBALLERS

Taremi grew up in a family where football played a significant role. Both his father, Alishah, and his older brother, Mohamed, were professional players in Iran. Alishah primarily played as a forward but also took on roles as a goalkeeper and defender throughout his career. Mohamed, on the other hand, mostly played as a midfielder but covered all positions during his career, except for goalkeeper.

A DIFFERENT CAREER

For Taremi, becoming a footballer was a natural choice. However, had he not pursued a professional career in football, as a child, he would have liked to become a police officer.

NERAZZURRI EXAMPLE

Mehdi has always played as a forward since he was a child, with his idol and source of inspiration being Ronaldo Nazário, the legendary Nerazzurri forward.

THE FIRST IRANIAN

In the long history of Inter, no player from Iran had ever worn the Nerazzurri shirt. Until now. Taremi is the first player from his country to join the club. His connection with the national team is deep. Mehdi has won 85 caps and scored 49 goals for Iran, participating in two Asian Cups and two World Cups. Taremi ranks as the third all-time top scorer for his national team, behind only Ali Daei (108) and Sardar Azmoun (53).

GREATEST EMOTIONS

In a career full of challenges, there are several contrasting, unforgettable emotional moments for Taremi. The first memorable match took place on 15 April 2016, during the Tehran derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal. In front of over 90,000 spectators, Mehdi scored twice and provided an assist, playing a crucial role in Persepolis' 4-2 victory, which helped them clinch the league title at the end of the year. The second unforgettable moment occurred on 25 June 2018, in Saransk during the World Cup in Russia. Iran would have advanced to the Round of 16 with a win against Portugal, but the game ended 1-1, resulting in elimination.

IN QATAR WITH WESLEY SNEIJDER

During his time at Al-Gharafa, Taremi had the opportunity to share a locker room with Inter legend, Wesley Sneijder, who played for the Doha club from January 2018 to June 2019, just like Mehdi. Sneijder was not only a special player but also a kind individual, always willing to support his teammates and a great professional. Taremi holds Wesley in high regard and has learned a great deal from him.

UNSTOPPABLE STRIKER

Throughout his career, Taremi has scored a total of 243 goals in 475 matches, averaging 0.5 goals per game. He has won the top-scorer title four times. Twice in Iran (16 goals in 2015/16 and 18 goals in 2016/17) and twice in Portugal (18 goals in 2019/20 and 22 goals in 2022/23).

BICYCLE KICKS

Mehdi is renowned for his exceptional technical skills, particularly his expertise in executing bicycle kicks. This speciality was officially recognised when the UEFA awarded him the Best Goal of the 2020/21 Champions League season for his acrobatic strike with Porto against Chelsea. Mehdi considers this goal to be the most beautiful of his career, alongside another bicycle kick scored against Barcelona that was unfortunately disallowed for offside.

A PASSION FOR VOLLEYBALL

Outside of football, Mehdi’s other favourite sport is volleyball, which is very popular in Iran. The Iranian men’s national team competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

THE LOVE FOR MUSIC

Taremi has a deep appreciation for Iranian music. Among all genres, songs by Iranian artists remain his favourites.