The KIA Football Club (Persian: باشگاه فوتبال کیا), commonly known as KIA FC, is an Iranian youth football academy that was established by Mehdi Mahdavikia in 2015 in southeastern Tehran.[1]
German magazine 11 Freunde has described it as "the best football academy" in Iran, and unique in terms of being dedicated to "sustainable, conceptual youth work".[1] The club follows the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim-model, i.e. starting at grassroots-level before developing into a team that can enter the professional leagues.[2] Each year, the club scouts more than a thousand players from all across the country and after trials, only retains top 25 talents.[3]
KIA has shown remarkable results since its foundation and frequently travels to Europe in order to play against renowned opponents.[1]
Season-by-season
Current squads
- As of 05 September 2023
First Team
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Current staff
Honours
Domestic league competitions
| League
|
Title(s)
|
Season(s)
|
| U14 |
National Premier League |
Winners (1) |
2018–2019
|
| Tehran Premier League |
Winners (2) |
2016–2017, 2017–2018
|
| U16 |
Tehran 1st Division League |
Winners (1) |
2016–2017
|
International
| Cup
|
Title(s)
|
Year(s)
|
| Norway Cup |
U13 |
Runners-up (2) |
2015,[4] 2016
|
| U11 |
Winners (1) |
2015[5]
|
| Cordial Cup |
U13 |
Winners (2) |
2018,[6] 2019[7]
|
| U11 |
Runners-up (1) |
2015[4]
|
| Deutsches Fußball Internat |
U12 |
Runners-up (1) |
2016[8]
|
| Bassevelde Cup |
U13 |
Winners (1) |
2019[9]
|
References
- ^ a b c Steffen Weiß (12 February 2017), "Zwischen Kult und Chaos", 11 Freunde (in German), archived from the original on 12 February 2017, retrieved 26 January 2018
- ^ "مهدوی کیا تیم داری می کند، مثل هوفنهایم!" (in Persian). Khabar Online. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ "Mondial Pupilles. Les Iraniens veulent monter en puissance", Ouest-France (in French), 10 May 2018, retrieved 26 January 2018
- ^ a b "Kia Academy Comes 2nd at Norway Cup", Tasnim News Agency, 31 July 2015, retrieved 26 January 2018
- ^ "Inviterte gullvinnerne fra Iran på gratis pizza i Drøbak", psv.nl (in Norwegian), 2 August 2015, retrieved 11 July 2019
- ^ "Kia Football Academy U13 win Cordial Cup", Tehran Times, 22 May 2018, retrieved 26 January 2018
- ^ "KIA U-13 Football Academy Wins Cordail Cup", Tasnim News Agency, 11 June 2019, retrieved 11 June 2019
- ^ "Bayern München macht das Triple perfekt!", rosenheim24.de (in German), 12 June 2016, retrieved 11 June 2019
- ^ "PSV O13 vierde op toernooi, Van Duiven eist hoofdrol op bij O14", psv.nl (in Dutch), 3 July 2019, retrieved 11 July 2019
External links