Andranik Eskandarian

Andranik Eskandarian ( born December 31, 1951 in Tehran ) is a retired Iranian football player of Armenian descent. Since 1984 he is a U.S. citizen.

The defender Eskandarian played for the Tehran club Esteghlal Tehran and took for the Iranian national team at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. At the first World Cup participation of Iranians saw his team against Scotland in a 1-1 draw for a surprise, which ultimately led to the Scottish elimination from the tournament. Eskandarian scoring an own goal for 0-1 of his team.

Shortly after the World Cup Eskandarian emigrated to the United States, where he received a professional contract next Franz Beckenbauer at New York Cosmos. There he played until 1984 and was, in spite of the political conflict between the U.S. and Iran in the late 1970s and early 1980s, one of the most popular footballer in the U.S. soccer scene.

After 1984 he played at the indoor soccer club New York Express ( 1985-1986) and at the New Jersey Eagles (1989-1990 ), together with the German goalkeeper Hubert Birch Meier, with whom he had already played at NY Cosmos.

His son Alecko Eskandarian (* 1982 ) is also a footballer. He plays for the CD Chivas USA and has been denied one match for the U.S. national team.