Iran’s Rezaei Nominated for Asia’s Greatest Serie A Player

Long considered one of Europe's, and the world’s, premier domestic competitions, Italy’s Serie A has featured some of football’s most decorated names.

But beyond the likes of Maldini and Maradona, several Asian players have thrived in the competition, with players from all over the continent turning out for Italian clubs.

Italy’s top league, cup and super cup titles have all been won by Asian players, who have now been a regular fixture in the race for the Scudetto for more than a quarter of a century.

But who is the greatest of them all? Which player has earned the title of Asia’s Calcio king?

Considered one of the best Iranian defenders of the modern era, Rezaei was tasked with keeping clean sheets at a time when several world class strikers called Serie A home.

After joining Perugia from Zob Ahan in 2001, Rezaei had some of his best memories at Messina, first helping them earn promotion from Serie B, then playing 36 of 38 matches as they finished seventh in the top division in 2004-05, beating both AC Milan and Inter in the process.

In a period where several Team Melli stars were plying their trade in Germany’s Bundesliga, Rezaei performed with distinction in Italy, where he remains the league’s most successful Iranian import.

Rezaei will compete with Ali Adnan (Iraq), Yuto Nagatomo (Japan), Mark Bresciano (Australia), Keisuke Honda (Japan), Ahn Jung-hwan (Korea Republic), Takayuki Morimoto (Japan), Vince Grella (Australia) and Shunsuke Nakamura (Japan) in the poll.