"I decided to quit playing for Persepolis FC because the club reduced 15 percent of my contract pay," announced Mohammed. He said the pay reduction was decided upon by club administrators under the pretext that he took more time than the club permitted for vacation.
Though the club holds Mohammed to his contract, Mohammed said: "I'd like not to be forced to go back to Iran since I have no taste to play for the club again."
FIFA is expected to interfere in this issue soon to find a fair solution for both sides.
Mohammed, born in 1981 in Mosul, is an Iraqi Kurdish football player who plays winger and wingback positions for Persepolis in Iran's pro league. Mohammed is known to be one of the best players on the Iraqi national team, and was a key figure in Iraq's 2007 Asian Cup glory. He played for several famous clubs such as Mosul and Alqwa-Aljawiyah from Iraq, Apollon Limassol and Anthorthosis from Cyprus, Al -Ansar from Lebanon, Al-Ain UAE, Al-Khor from Qatar, and Persepolis from Iran.
He made history on September 17, 2008, by becoming the first-ever Iraqi player to play in the UEFA Champions League after coming on as a substitute in Anorthosis' 0-0 draw with Werder Bremen; he bettered his record on October 1, 2008, by scoring Anorthosis' third goal against Panathinaikos in the Champions League. He joined Persepolis in July 2009 and moved to Iran in August 2009 for the first time.