Ashkan Dejagah Legacy in Team Melli

[rdwrrr]

What kind of Legacy will Ashkan leave behind after his retirement. This will be his tournament, his last hurrah.

Since joining the team in 2012, he played 52 games for Team Melli. (Time sure goes by fast). He played for us in two world cups and two Asian cups.

He joined Team Melli at the time when we were at lowest point of last few decades. Daei, Mahdavikia, Bagheri and other well known players had retired. We were desperately looking for some talent that we can rally around. There was a lot of talk about him wanting to join Team Melli. I don't know if he would have joined us if CQ was not our coach. No way if we had one of our Vatani coaches.

The chatter on PFDC right before his joining was amazing, I think we had like 30 pages of chat on the day he joined.

Who can forget the two goals we scored against Qatar on his first day. Everyone was so worried about that game.

So how is he going to be remembered? Does he deserve to be mentioned in the group of all time football heroes for Iran???

[persiangodfather]

For about 3 years dejagah looked like the only actual professional on the team

[teammelli8080]

I think he belongs in the class of unsung heroes, someone who pulled TM together in those tough unsuccessful years and became a real leader in the team for the new generation. He also pushed through despite all the furor about his tattoos etc and started the push with CQ to get that kind of nonsense out of the TM discussion. I will forever remember his service in this way. It would be wonderful to finish his TM career e the Asian Cup.

[_Navid_]

The guy is still one of the best players in the team. I see no reason why he should retire after this tournament.

[Saam]

One of the best players TM has ever had. That performance against Argentina might be a top 5 individual performance for TM.

[Roxanaz80]

Like his bro Masoud, Ashkan D is professional and inspiring. Low profile, humble yet so effective.

Birds of a feather flock together .

Thank you!