Naft Tehran F.C.

Iranian football club

Football club

Naft Tehran
نفت تهرانFull name| Naft Tehran Football Club
باشگاه فوتبال نفت تهران

|

Nickname(s)| Black Cats
Yellow Ghosts[1][2]
Founded| 23 August 1950
Ground| Takhti Stadium
Tehran
Capacity| 30,122
Owner| Tehran Kar Rasa Company
League| League 3
2019–20| League 3, 3rd (Group A)
Website| http://naftclub.com

Home colours

Away colours

|

Current season

Naft Tehran Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال نفت تهران, Bashgah-e Futbal-e Nuft Teheran) is an Iranian football club based in Tehran, Iran. They competed in the Persian Gulf Pro League. They were owned by the National Iranian Oil Company previously. Naft Tehran was founded in 1950 and played in the Takhti Stadium until 2018.

Naft has finished third place in the Persian Gulf Pro League three times and has also won the Hazfi Cup. In 2015, for the first time in the club's history, Naft played in the AFC Champions League. They defeated Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia in the round of 16 to advance to the quarter–finals where they were eliminated by Al-Ahli Dubai.

Following the departures of their best players, Naft Tehran were relegated to the second tier in 2017.

While the club was dealing with ownership and financial problems, forfeiting two matches in the second tier resulted in their relegation to the 3rd tier of Iranian Football. On October 22, 2018, the minister of sports announced the club's dissolution. Subsequently, players and the staff were released.[3] Since then, Naft Tehran is participating as Naft Iranian Tehran in League 3.

## History

[edit]

### Establishment

[edit]

On 23 August 1971, National Iranian Oil Company decided on starting a football team. Before the Iranian Revolution the team competed in the Tehran Football League for several years. In 2003, the club was competing in the Tehran Local Leagues. In 2005, they were promoted to the 3rd Division.

Naft Tehran was competing in Iran's 2nd Division and they turned out to be one of the best teams. In the first round, they had managed to score 36 goals and convecting only 14, they were on top of Iranjavan with 38 points. In the second round, they came out second at the Group B. They were just under Mes Sarcheshmeh with 3 points away and 1 point on top of Esteghlal Jonub Tehran, Naft Tehran after promoted to Azadegan League.

### Promotion to Iran Pro League

[edit]

After three years of competing in the 2nd Division, Naft was promoted to the Azadegan League. Naft Tehran started the season well in Azadegan League and eventually became first in the group tables. Naft Tehran came out with a huge goal difference by conceding the fewest goals, and they were on top of the table by 1 point from Damash Gilan They didn't score much as their top scorer Akbar Saghiri scored 7 goals in the league. It was the first time ever that Naft Tehran went to Iran Pro League.

#### Iran Pro League

[edit]

Naft Tehran players in 2011–12 season

Naft Tehran was competing in Iran's 2nd Division and they turned out to be one of the best teams. In the first round they had managed to score 36 goals and conceding only 14, they were on top of Iranjavan with 38 points. In the second round they came out second at the Group B. They were just under Mes Sarcheshmeh with 3 points away and 1 point on top of Esteghlal Jonub Tehran, Naft Tehran after promoted to Azadegan League.

Naft Tehran started the season well in Azadegan League and eventually became first in the group tables. Naft Tehran came out with a huge goal difference by conceding the fewest goals, and they were on top of the table by one point from Damash Gilan. They didn't score much as their top scorer Akbar Saghiri scored seven goals in the league. It was the first time ever that Naft Tehran went to Persian Gulf Pro League.

#### Champions League

[edit]

On the final day of the 2013–14 Iran Pro League season, Naft lead the league and had an opportunity to win the league. However, Naft lost to Sepahan and dropped to 3rd place, which was still good enough for a spot in the AFC Champions League, the first time in club history the team has reached the international stage. In May 2014 Yahya Golmohammadi announced that he would not be extending his contract with Naft and had signed with Zob Ahan. Shortly after on 31 May, Naft revealed Ali Reza Mansourian as their manager for the 2014–15 season. The club qualified for the 2015 AFC Champions League group stage after a 1–0 win over Qatari club El Jaish in the play-off round. Naft won its first ever Champions League game in a 2–1 victory against Saudi club Al Shabab. On 6 May 2015 the club advanced to the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League.

On 15 May 2015, on the final matchday of the league, Naft went in to the final match second and tied on points with Tractor, whom they played in the final match. Naft drew with Tractor 3–3 and finished third in the league, securing a Champions League play-off spot. In the Hazfi Cup final, Naft Tehran was defeated by Zob Ahan.

#### Hazfi Cup champions

[edit]

During the 2015–16 season, Naft encountered severe financial issues and could not pay the players and coaching staff. The National Iranian Oil Company decided to sell the club and it was believed that relegated Malavan would buy the clubs rights and remain in the Persian Gulf Pro League. However, Behnam Pishro Company bought Naft and the team remained in Tehran.

After Alireza Mansourian left the club to become head coach of Esteghlal, the club hired Iranian legend Ali Daei to lead the club. After Daei took over the team in 2016, financial issues in the club continued. Despite this Naft was fighting for an AFC Champions League spot for most of the season. Naft also had success in the Hazfi Cup, Daei's team defeated Sepahan 1–0 to advance to the final against Tractor. In the final Sajjad Shahbazzadeh scored a late winner for Naft as the club won its first major domestic title.

#### Relegation to 3rd Division and dissolution

[edit]

After Disturbance in the Club Regarding Ownership Issue, it was declared that Naft Tehran Relegated to 3rd Division and 2018–19 Azadegan League will resume with remaining 17 teams.[4]

## Supporters

[edit]

Before Naft's successful season in the AFC Champions League, the club had only a few supporters who were mostly workers of the National Iranian Oil Company. In 2015 after a third-place finish in the league, reaching the final of the Hazfi Cup and advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League the club gained some supporters and became the third most popular team in Tehran behind Persepolis and Esteghlal.[5]

## Relegation to 3rd Division

[edit]

After the Disturbance in the Club Regarding Ownership Issue, it was declared that Naft Tehran Relegated to 3rd Division and 2018–19 Azadegan League will resume with remaining 17 teams.[6]

## Season-by-season

[edit]

The table below comes from List of Naft Tehran F.C. seasons

The table below chronicles the achievements of Naft Tehran in various competitions since 2003.

Season  | League  | Position  | Hazfi Cup | AFC | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

2003–04  | Tehran Football League | 4th  |  |  |
2004–05  | 1st |  |  | Promoted
2005–06  | 3rd Division | 1st |  |  | Promoted
2006–07  | 2nd Division | 5th  |  |  |
2007–08  | 7th  | First round  |  |
2008–09  | 1st | 1/16 Final  |  | Promoted
2009–10  | Azadegan League | 1st | Third round  |  | Promoted
2010–11  | Pro League | 13th  | Round of 32  |  |
2011–12  | 5th  | Round of 32  |  |
2012–13  | 5th  | Round of 16  |  |
2013–14  | 3rd  | Round of 16  |  |
2014–15  | 3rd  | Runner-up  |  |
2015–16  | 5th  | Quarter-final  | Quarter-final  |
2016–17  | 9th  | Champions | Play-off  |
2017–18  | 15th  | Round of 32  |  | Relegated
2018–19  | Azadegan League | Disqualified  |  |  | Relegated

## Individual records

[edit]

Lists of the players with the most caps and top goalscorers for the club, as of 13 March 2016 (players in bold signifies current Naft Tehran player). (The stats are from 2009)

### Top scorers

[edit]

| Player  | Goals  | Years

|
|

Yaghoub Karimi | 18  | 2011–13
Ali Ghorbani | 15  | 2013–16
Amir Arsalan Motahari | 14  | 2014–17
Reza Norouzi | 13  | 2012–14
Mohammad Ghazi | 12  | 2016–17
Vahid Amiri | 11  | 2013–16
Ferreira | 11  | 2010–12
Iman Mousavi | 11  | 2011–12

### Top scorers by season

[edit]

| Season  | Player  | Goals

|
|

2009–10  |  Akbar Saghiri | 7
2010–11  |  Ferreira | 10
2011–12  |  Iman Mousavi | 8
2012–13  |  Yaghoub Karimi | 10
2013–14  |  Reza Norouzi | 11
2014–15  |  Amir Arsalan Motahari | 9
2015–16  |  Vahid Amiri | 5
2016–17  |  Mohammad Ghazi | 12

### Clean sheets by season

[edit]

Season  | Player  | Clean Sheet

|
|

2009–10  |  Hamed Fallahzadeh | 11
2010–11  |  Hossein Ashena | 9
2011–12  |  Hamed Fallahzadeh | 13
2012–13  |  Sosha Makani | 12
2013–14  |  Alireza Beiranvand | 12
2014–15  |  Alireza Beiranvand | 9
2015–16  |  Alireza Beiranvand | 9
2016–17  |  Milad Farahani | 5

## Performance in AFC competitions

[edit]

### AFC Champions League record

[edit]

Naft Tehran team image before match against El Jaish in AFC Champions League, 9 February 2016 Asian Club Championship / AFC Champions League

Season  | Round  | Rival  | Home  | Away  | Agg.
2015 | Play-off  |  El Jaish | 1–0  | –  | –
Group Stage
(Group B)  |  Pakhtakor | 1–1  | 2–1 | –
Al-Ain | 1–1  | 3–0 | –
Al-Shabab | 2–1  | 0–3 | –
Knockout  |  Al-Ahli | 1–0  | 2–1 | 2–2
Al-Ahli | 0–1  | 2–1 | 3–1
2016 | Play-off  |  El Jaish | 0–2  | –  | –

### Top goalscorers in AFC Champions League

[edit]

Rank  | Player  | Goals  | Seasons

|
|
|

1  |  Amir Arsalan Motahari | 3  | 2
2  |  Vahid Amiri | 2  | 2
Gholamreza Rezaei | 2  | 1
Leandro Padovani | 2  | 1
3  |  Ali Ghorbani | 1  | 2
Siamak Kouroshi | 1  | 2
Reza Aliari | 1  | 2

## Honours

[edit]

Naft players celebrating winning 2016–17 Hazfi Cup title

### Domestic

[edit]

* Persian Gulf Pro League
* Third place (2): 2013–14, 2014–15
* Hazfi Cup
* Winners (1): 2016–17
* Runners-up (1): 2014–15
* Iranian Super Cup
* Runners-up (1): 2017
* Azadegan League
* Champions (1): 2009–10
* 2nd Division
* Champions (1): 2008–09
* 3rd Division
* Champions (1): 2005–06
* Tehran Province League
* Champions (1): 2004–05

### Invitational

[edit]

* Afghanistan Republic Day Cup
* Runners-up (1): 1974[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "نفت‌تهران ـ گربه سیاه تیم‌های عربستانی :: ورزش سه". Varzesh3.com. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
2. ^ "فرهیختگان - نفت تهران ۱-۰ پرسپولیس؛ ارواح زرد عزت یحیی را تضمین کرد !". Fdn.ir. Archived from the original on 2015-08-22. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
3. ^ "تیم فوتبال نفت تهران منحل شد". اقتصادنیوز (in Persian). Retrieved 2020-08-12.
4. ^ YJC, خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران - آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان. "سقوط نفت تهران به لیگ دسته ۳ قطعی شد". خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران - آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان - YJC.
5. ^ "فوتبالی‌ترین | بیرانوند: نفت از حالا طرفدار دارد/یکی از بطری‌های پرتاب شده آب‌میوه بود که آن را خوردم". Footballitarin.com. 2015-05-29. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
6. ^ YJC, خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران - آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان. "سقوط نفت تهران به لیگ دسته ۳ قطعی شد". خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران - آخرین اخبار ایران و جهان - YJC.
7. ^ Morrison, Neil (2008). "Afghanistan Republic Day Festival Cup (Kabul, Afghanistan): Palmares". rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.

## External links

[edit]

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