Mohammad’s goal for Sepahan against AFC Champions League rivals Esteghlal over the weekend made him the highest foreign goal-scorer in Iran Pro League history.
Sepahan won 2-0 against the Iranian champions as Mohammad took his Iran Pro League tally to 48 goals. He has scored nine this season, two behind Steel Azan and Iran legend Ali Karimi in the season standings.
“I think this is a great achievement for me and all Iraqi players,” said Mohammad, who scored four goals in helping Sepahan reach the final of the 2007 AFC Champions League.
“I am looking to produce good performances for my team and hopefully, with the help of my teammates, I can be the top goal-scorer at the end of the season.”
The Iraq Football Association has been suspended by FIFA for government interference, which means national and club teams are disallowed from playing in international events.
However, individual players can continue playing for their clubs.
Mohammad is hoping to do just that for Sepahan, where he has attained cult status with the fans.
“I feel comfortable in the Iran league and receive respect from the fans and the media,” he said. “I have had offers to play outside of Iran but I prefer to stay here because the standard of football is high.”
Although he is the best-ever foreign striker, Mohammad is still way behind in the overall charts, led by Fereydoon Fazli, the Saba Battery player who has 85. Next comes Esteghlal’s Reza Enayati on 83 followed by Arash Borhani (Esteghlal, 75), Mehdi Rajabzadeh (Zob Ahan, 57) and Siavash Akbarpour (Esteghlal, 49).
He is in good company, though, with world record national striker and former Iran coach Ali Daei also on 48 in the all-time stakes.