AFC - Given the relatively short careers on offer to footballers it’s rare, but not entirely unheard of, to see them give the job up so early, as the-AFC.com reveals by profiling five stars who retired at an early age.
Mohammad Parvin, Islamic Republic of Iran (retired at 27)
In an industry as pressurised as football, Mohammad Parvin probably faced more than most. Not only was the attacking midfielder’s father, Ali Parvin, part of the legendary Islamic Republic of Iran team that qualified for the country’s first FIFA World Cup in 1978, he was also the head coach at Persepolis when Parvin junior made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2005.
Dubbed the future of Iranian football in some quarters, Parvin struggled at Persepolis following his father’s departure, and dropped down a division to join Steel Azin in 2007. He then produced arguably the only season in which he showcased his true talents and was called into the national team squad for the 2008 West Asian Football Federation Championship.
Parvin then returned to the top flight with Saipa but, after only a few months and no goals, he was on the move again, to Slovakian club Dunajska Streda. While his time in Europe was not a complete disaster, the lure of Persepolis proved too much to resist and he returned to Tehran in 2009, but again failed to establish himself as a first-team regular.
A season apiece at Paykan and Gahar Zagros then brought an end to a career that never really took off as Parvin decided enough was enough at the tender age of 27. Perhaps the pressure of following in his father’s footsteps proved too much, maybe he made the wrong moves at the wrong times. Parvin undoubtedly had talent, to what extent we’ll never know.