Foolad Youth Academy was established in 2000 by the Foolad Khuzestan Football Club to help grow the football talent in the province of

Khuzestan Khuzestan Province (also spelled Xuzestan; fa, استان خوزستان ''Ostān-e Xūzestān'') is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahvaz and it covers ...

, in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. Foolad has over 400 players and 34 coaches through is different youth ranks. The academy has been extremely successful and has been noted as the country's best academy producing players such as

Iman Mobali Iman Mobali ( fa, ایمان مبعلی; born November 3, 1982 in Izeh, Iran) is an Iranian retired association football, football player and coach. Club career Foolad Mobali joined Foolad's senior team in 2000. He was considered to be the creat ...

, Arash Afshin, Bakhtiar Rahmani, and

Kaveh Rezaei Kaveh Rezaei ( fa, کاوه رضایی) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Tractor club in Persian Gulf Pro League and Iran national team. Club career Foolad Rezaei started his career at Foolad. In the 2010� ...

. Foolad has active teams in all youth levels. The clubs heavy investment into the youth academy ensures that the majority of the players graduate to become professional footballers in

Results

In the 2009-10 season the under-14 team became champions of Iran, the under-16 finished runners up, and the u-18 and u-21 teams finished third. Foolad was the only club in Iran to field teams in all four youth levels and they were also the number one producer of players getting selected to different national team levels.

Notable players

Here are the most notable graduates from Foolad's Youth Academy: *

Jalal Kameli-Mofrad Jalal Kameli-Mofrad ( fa, جلال كاملی مفرد, born 15 May 1981 in Shadegan, Iran) is an Iranian football player Club career Kameli Mofrad started his career at Foolad FC. At first, due to his physical style, Mofrad played some good fo ...

Ahmad Alenemeh Seyed Ahmad Alenemeh ( fa, احمد آل نعمه; born 20 October 1982) is an Iranian former professional footballer who played as a defender. Club career Alenemeh moved to Sepahan for the 2009–10 season, where he played as the club's mai ...

* Mohammad Alavi *

Pejman Montazeri Pejman Montazeri ( fa, پژمان منتظری, born 6 September 1983) is an Iranian footballer; he plays for Al Kharaitiyat and former the Iranian national team. Club career Foolad He was one of the exceptionally talented players in the Foo ...

* Milad Zeneyedpour *

Esmaeil Sharifat Esmaeil Sharifat ( fa, اسماعیل شریفات, born September 7, 1988) is an Iranian football player, who currently plays for Aluminium Arak of the Persian Gulf Pro League Club career Sharifat began his career with Foolad before joining E ...

* Bakhtiar Rahmani *

Mehrdad Jama'ati Mehrdad Jama'ati (born October 7, 1989) is an Iranian footballer who most recently played for Sepidrood Rasht S.C. in the Iran Pro League as well as Iran national football team. Club career Jama'ati signed his first professional contract in 200 ...

* Arash Afshin * Sasan Ansari

References

External links

*
Foolad F.C. Official Website
{{Football in Iran Sport in Ahvaz