Omid Ravankhah

Omid Ravankhah
Personal information
Full name Omidreza Ravankhah
Date of birth (1987-04-13) 13 April 1987
Place of birth Firoozabad, Iran
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Iran U23 (manager)
Youth career
2003–2004 Fajr Sepasi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Fajr Sepasi 58 (2)
2007–2011 Esteghlal 51 (7)
2011–2013 Saipa 2 (0)
Total 111 (9)
International career
2007 Iran U23 5 (0)
Managerial career
2017 Sepidrood (assistant)
2017 Sepidrood
2017–2018 Gilanmehr Fouman
2018–2020 Niroye Zamini
2020 Kheybar
2021 Baadraan
2021–2022 Saipa
2022–2024 Pars Jonoubi
2024–2025 Paykan
2025 Havadar
2025– Iran U23
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Omid Ravankhah (Persian: امید روانخواه, born April 13, 1987) is a retired Iranian football player and now coach. He played as a midfielder when he was a football player.

Career

Ravankhah joined Esteghlal in 2007. He has scored several key goals for Esteghlal, including two goals against classical rivals Persepolis F.C. so he got named as "امید رفت و برگشت" which translates to 'home and away Omid.' In the first game of the 2008/2009 season he received a serious injury putting him out for several months. Ravankhah played for Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League group stage, appearing against Al-Ittihad on 11 March 2009.[1] He officially announced his retirement on 12 May 2013 at the age of 25, because of his serious old injury.

Personal life

On 11 January 2026, Ravankhah publicly supported the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, stating: "It is my social duty to be with my people in these circumstances, and no matter how much it may cost me, I hope their voices are heard."[2] On 16 January, it is alleged that Ravankhah made a forced confession to the regime-aligned Mehr News Agency claiming his words were exploited by the "enemies of Iran".[3] On 19 January, he was detained and interrogated for an hour at Imam Khomeini International Airport upon returning to Iran from Dubai and had his passport confiscated, after which, he was allowed to leave the airport; he was asked to report to a security agency the next day.[4] Ravankhah was fired as head coach of the national under-23 football team for supporting the protests on 16 February.[5]

Career statistics

As of 31 January 2011
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Iran League Hazfi Cup Asia Total
2004–05 Fajr Pro League 13 0 - -
2005–06 25 1 - -
2006–07 20 1 - -
2007–08 Esteghlal 31 6 - -
2008–09 5 0 0 5 0 0
2009–10 8 1 0 0 0 0 8 1
2010–11 7 0 2 0 0 0 9 0
2011–12 Saipa 2 0 0 0 - - 2 0
Career total 111 9 5 0
  • Assist Goals
Season Team Assists
05–06 Fajr 1
06–07 Fajr 1
07–08 Esteghlal 1
10–11 Esteghlal 0
11–12 Saipa 0

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Match: Al-Ittihad vs Esteghlal – AFC Champions League". ESPN Soccernet. 11 March 2009. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011.
  2. ^ https://www.iranintl.com/202601135325
  3. ^ https://iranwire.com/en/news/147709-forced-confession-of-omid-ravankhah-the-enemy-exploited-my-words/
  4. ^ https://www.iranintl.com/202601199988
  5. ^ https://www.iranintl.com/202602164491