Mahdi Torabi

Mahdi Torabi
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-09-10) 10 September 1994
Place of birth Karaj, Alborz province, Iran
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Tractor
Number 9
Youth career
2012–2015 Saipa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2019 Saipa 118 (17)
2019–2020 Persepolis 40 (12)
2020–2021 Al-Arabi 9 (2)
2021–2024 Persepolis 97 (16)
2024– Tractor 47 (3)
International career‡
2015–2016 Iran U23 6 (1)
2015– Iran 53 (7)
Medal record
Representing  Iran
CAFA Nations Cup
Winner2023 Kyrgyzstan – UzbekistanTeam
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 February 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 21 June 2026

Mahdi Torabi[i] (born 10 September 1994) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Persian Gulf Pro League club Tractor and the Iran national team.

He began his career at Saipa, and then played for Persepolis between 2019 and 2020. He played for Qatari side Al-Arabi between 2020 and 2021, later rejoining Persepolis. He joined Tractor in 2024 and has been regarded as the club's fan favorite.

Torabi made his first senior appearance in 2015, and represented Iran at the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup in 2019 and 2023.

Early life and family

Mahdi Torabi was born on 10 September 1994 in Karaj, Alborz province, Iran into a religious Shia Muslim family.[2] His father reportedly served as the commander of the Imam Sajjad base of the Basij in Alborz province.[2]

Torabi studied business management from the Payame Noor University Eshtehard.[2]

Club career

Saipa

Torabi playing for Saipa against Persepolis in 2018

Torabi's career began with the Saipa youth squad. He was promoted to the first team by Mojtaba Taghavi in the summer of 2012. He made his debut in the 2013–14 Persian Gulf Cup season against Mes Kerman as a substitute for Kaveh Rezaei.

Persepolis

Torabi with Persepolis in 2020

On 1 July 2018, Torabi signed a three-year deal with Persepolis. He was sent on back on loan to Saipa for the first half of the season until Persepolis had served their transfer ban. On 16 December 2018, Torabi officially joined Persepolis' squad and was assigned the number 9.[3]

Torabi scored his first goal for Persepolis in a 3–2 victory over Saipa on 13 April 2019.[4]

Al-Arabi

In October 2020, Torabi joined Al-Arabi and played in the Qatar Stars League.[5]

Return to Persepolis

In February 2021, he rejoined Persepolis to play in the Persian Gulf Pro League.[6]

Tractor

In the summer of 2024, it was announced that he wanted to transfer to another team for more income but he himself said that he changed his team to improve his mental condition, not to earn money.[7][8]

On 10 July 2024, Torabi joined Persian Gulf Pro League side Tractor.[9]

International career

Youth level

Torabi in the match between Vietnam and Iran at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup

He was invited to Iran U23 preliminary camp by Nelo Vingada.[10] Torabi was included in the squad for the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship by coach Mohammad Khakpour and he scored his first goal of the tournament in the last group match against China from a 30-yard free kick.

Senior level

He made his debut against Uzbekistan in a friendly on 11 June 2015 where he scored the lone goal of the match. On 3 September 2015, Torabi came off the bench to score in a 6–0 victory against Guam. In May 2018 he was named in Iran's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[11] In November 2022, Torabi was listed in Iran's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[12] In May 2026, he was listed in Iran's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[13] Following Iran's first match against New Zealand, Torabi's single-entry visa expired and generated considerable controversy.[14] FFIRI subsequently negotiated with FIFA and a multi-entry visa was issued for Torabi.[15]

Personal life

Political views

Torabi is an ardent supporter of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is known to have links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).[16] In 2019, Torabi lifted his shirt up with a message of support to the government during the 2019–2020 Iranian protests as well. The literal translation of his message was "The only path to salvation of country is to follow orders of the leader".[17] In 2022, Torabi wore a shirt in support of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and desired to offer him a football as a gift in the course of the Mahsa Amini protests.[18][19][20]

During the 2026 Iran war, Torabi consistently made appearances on pro-government rallies in Tehran's Valiasr Square and described the assassinated Ali Khamenei as "love" and "martyred guide".[21] He also stated that he would stand behind the leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei.[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 April 2026
Club Division Season League Hazfi Cup Asia Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals Apps GoalsAppsGoals
Saipa Pro League 2012–13 1000––10
2013–14 3000––30
2014–15 23110––241
2015–16 27120––291
2016–17 19420––214
2017–18 271010––2810
2018–19 14123––164
Total 1141783— —12220
Persepolis Pro League 2018–19 14 1 3 0 6 1 — 23 2
2019–20 26 11 4 1 2 0 32 12
Total 40127181 —5514
Al-Arabi QSL 2020–21 9 2 2 0 — 1 0 12 2
Total 9220—10122
Persepolis Pro League 2020–21 14 4 3 1 6 2 1 0 24 7
2021–22 26 3 2 1 2 1 0 0 30 5
2022–23 29 7 5 2 — — 34 9
2023–24 28 2 2 1 5 1 — 35 4
Total 97161251341012325
Tractor Pro League 2024–25 293108200385
2025–26 180116110262
Total 4732114310647
Career totals 3075031103583037668

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 21 June 2026.[22]
Iran
YearAppsGoals
201573
201641
201720
2018102
201970
202130
202261
202360
202460
202620
Total537

International goals

As of match played 30 May 2026. Iran score listed first, score column indicates score after each Torabi goal.[23]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 June 2015Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan1 Uzbekistan1–01–0Friendly
2. 3 September 2015Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran3 Guam6–06–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3. 13 October 20155 Japan1–01–1Friendly
4. 7 June 201610 Kyrgyzstan3–06–0
5. 11 September 2018Bunyodkor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan18 Uzbekistan1–01–0
6. 16 October 2018Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran19 Bolivia2–12–1
7. 10 November 2022Azadi Stadium, Tehran, Iran36 Nicaragua1–01–0

Honours

Club

Persepolis

Tractor

Individual

Notes

  1. ↑ Persian: مهدی ترابی

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: IR Iran (IRN)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 15. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "بیوگرافی مهدی ترابی". www.beytoote.com. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  3. ↑ چک-تسویه-حساب-با-سایپا-برای-فسخ-قرارداد-ترابی-تحویل-شد
  4. ↑ "اولین گل ستاره پرسپولیس به تیم سابقش". www.yjc.ir (in Persian). 13 April 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "Mahdi Torabi handed Al Arabi No.99". Tehran Times. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Fan favourite Mahdi Torabi back with Persepolis". the-AFC. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "مهدی ترابی به تراکتور پیوست؛ "پول نه، از نظر روحی و فنی نیاز داشتم تغییر تیم بدهم"". ایران اینترنشنال (in Persian). 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  8. ↑ "معمای مهدی ترابی؛ رد پیشنهاد ۴۵ میلیاردی پرسپولیس و دریافت ۵۰۰ هزار دلار از تراکتور؟". مشرق نیوز (in Persian). 23 June 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Mahdi Torabi Joins Tractor: IPL - Sports news - Tasnim News Agency". Tasnim News Agency. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "89 بازیکن در اردوی تیم فوتبال المپیک - سایت خبری تحلیلی تابناك". tabnak.ir. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "World Cup 2018: All the confirmed squads for this summer's finals in Russia".
  12. ↑ Greg Lea Contributions from Michael Yokhin (25 November 2022). "Iran World Cup 2022 squad: Carlos Queiroz announces final 25-man team". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  13. ↑ www.fifa.com https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/ir-iran-squad-named. Retrieved 11 June 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff. "Iran's Torabi cleared for World Cup after U.S. visa issue resolved". ESPN. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Carlisle, Jeff. "Iran's Torabi cleared for World Cup after U.S. visa issue resolved". ESPN. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Iran say winger Torabi gets multi-entry U.S. visa for World Cup games". Reuters. 17 June 2026. Torabi, an unused substitute in Monday's 2-2 draw with New Zealand, is an ardent supporter of the Iranian government and has links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
  17. ↑ "Footballers Tackle the Regime". iranwire.com.
  18. ↑ "Iran Has More Than Just Soccer On Its Mind At The World Cup". defector.com. 1 November 2022.
  19. ↑ "Solidarity with Iran revolution prominent across soccer world". World Soccer Talk. 28 October 2022.
  20. ↑ "Ele vai: conheça Torabi, atacante habilidoso e adulador de líder supremo do Irã". br.noticias.yahoo.com.
  21. 1 2 "ویدیو| مهدی ترابی: مثل رهبر شهید پشت سید مجتبی خامنه‌ای می‌ایستیم و به قله خواهیم رسید". خبرورزشی (in Persian). 29 April 2026. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Mahdi Torabi at National-Football-Teams.com
  23. ↑ Mahdi Torabi at Soccerway
  24. ↑ "Tractor win 2025 Iran's Super Cup". Tehran Times. 11 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  25. ↑ "استقلال 1 - 2 تراکتور: اولین جام فصل با کامبک رویایی" [first cup of season] (in Persian). Varzesh 3. 11 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
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