Capable of playing at the right side of defense or midfield, Mahdavikia was one of the finest talents to come out the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He was vital for Iran in the last two times they reached the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup in 1996 and in 2004, earning a place in the 2004 Team of the Tournament.
The 2003 AFC Player of the Year spent the majority of his career playing in the German Bundesliga, and is Team Melli's fourth most capped player with 110 appearances, including two involvements in the FIFA World Cup.
He was chosen as the best defender by the fans, coming first with 79 percent.
Saleh Al Nuaimah from Saudi Arabia, Japan’s Yuji Nakazawa, South Korean Hong Myung-bo, Zheng Zhi from China, Australia’s Lucas Neill, Kuwaiti Jamal Mubarak and Malaysian Soh Chin Aun were the other candidates for the all-time best AFC Asian Cup defender.