Courtesy: The AFC.com>


‘I still feel 20’ – Iran futsal legend Shamsaee

Monday, 15 March 2010

Iranian futsal star Vahid Shamsaee has won almost everything a man in his profession can win. But still he wants more.

The 34-year-old was once again the focus of attention after he captained Foolad Mahan Sepahan to the AFC Futsal Club Championship title in Esfahan, Iran last week.

He was named MVP of the tournament and topped the goal-scoring charts with 17. But the evergreen player says he is still motivated to win more accolates.

“I am still very passionate about the game. I still feel like a 20-year-old who dreams of lifting his first trophy,” Shamsaee told the-afc.com.

Shamsaee’s haul of trophies and honours is practically at saturation point. He was part of the FIFA All-Star futsal team after the World Cup in Brazil, he was four times MVP at the AFC Futsal Championship, he was top goal-scorer seven times in Iran’s nine continental titles and he was chosen as AFC Futsal Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Still hungry
There is little in Asia that he has not won. But success is like a drug and Shamsaee is addicted.

“No matter what has happened before, whenever a tournament is coming up, I get a fresh feeling of temptation. I want to lift the trophy,” he said.

“I have the hunger. I want another trophy, another MVP and another top goal-scorer’s title,” added Shamsaee, who also finished top goal-scorer in helping Foolad to the Iran Futsal League title just before the AFC event.

His obsession with glory, however, doesn’t mean success comes easily. Shamsaee works hard for a living and, only two days after Foolad won the title, he was back in the gym preparing his body for the next challenge.

“To play consistently well, I have to train properly. Also, I have to manage my private life accordingly and all this has paid off,” he said.

“I would never have been able to achieve all these titles without going through some hardships in life.”

History for Foolad
Foolad will go down in history as being the first club to win the AFC Futsal Club Championship in its inaugural year. Shamsaee said the tournament has succeeded in raising the profile of futsal in Asia.

“This tournament was a great initiative for Asian futsal,” he said. “The clubs brought some great players with great skills and this made the competition very tough.

“For the first time, we had no idea about the kind of players we were facing on the pitch, unlike the AFC Futsal Championship, where we more or less know who we are plying.

“There were a lot of surprises in Esfahan. But that was not the only source of excitement. There were a lot of passionate fans who filled the stadium and that made for a fabulous atmosphere.”

Uzbek goal
Shamsaee hopes the fans will be equally vocal when he travels to Uzbekistan in May for the AFC Futsal Championship 2010 for national teams.

Iran are going for their 10th title in a country where they lost for the first time in 2006, losing to Japan.

“Breaking our Uzbekistan jinx is our target,” said Shamsaee. “It is the place where we lost for the only time in 11 years.

“It was a bitter semi-final defeat for us and to return home without the trophy was a difficult experience. We will go back there for revenge.”

by Shahin Rahmani

Any views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of AFC or AFC Officials.




Courtesy: The AFC.com>


Evergreen Shamsaee still greedy for glory

Monday, 15 March 2010

Kuala Lumpur: Iran skipper Vahid Shamsaee cannot get enough of success on the futsal pitch.

The MVP of last week’s AFC Futsal Club Championship spoke to the-afc.com in an exclusive interview of his undying passion for the game, despite a wealth of titles.

“I have the hunger. I want another trophy, another MVP and another top goal-scorer’s title,” Shamsaee said.

The 34-year-old has won almost every title and honour the game has to offer in Asia, as well as being included in the FIFA All Star team after the 2008 World Cup in Brazil.

His next target is the AFC Futsal Championship for national teams in Uzbekistan in May, where Iran will be aiming for their 10 continental title.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com