Kambiz Atabay: The Visionary Leader Who Elevated Iranian Football

The results of his vision were immediate and profound. Iran dominated Asian football throughout the 1970s, winning its third consecutive Asian Cup title and earning a gold medal at the 1974 Asian Games. The national youth teams claimed four Asian championships, and the pinnacle of his efforts came in 1978 when Iran qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history—a remarkable feat at a time when Asia had only one qualification slot.