Esteghlal F.C.
| Full name | Esteghlal Tehran Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | تاج (Crown) | ||
| Founded | September 24, 1945 | ||
| Ground | Azadi Stadium Tehran, Iran (capacity: 78,000[1]) | ||
| Chairman |  Ali Khatir | ||
| Head Coach | Javad Nekounam | ||
| League | Persian Gulf Cup | ||
| 2022-23 | Persian Gulf Cup, 3rd | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
| |||
Esteghlal Cultural and Athletic Club Persian: باشگاه فرهنگی ورزشی استقلال ایران is an Iranian sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Tehran. It was founded as Taj (Persian: تاج), meaning 'Crown' in Persian and renamed after the Islamic Revoloution in 1979.
Esteghlal have been Asian Champions AFC Champions League twice and have also won Nine National Championship titles. Esteghlal together with Al-Hilal Riadh of Saudi Arabia are the second most successful clubs in Asian Champion's League, after Pohang Steelers of South Korea, with two champions titles and two runner up.steghlal Club has an average of 30 to 110 million viewers in each of its games on television and cyberspace.
Season-by-season
The table below chronicles the achievements of Esteghlal in various competitions since 1945.
| Season | League | Pos. | Hazfi Cup | ACL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945-1946 | Tehran Provincial League | 2nd | Not held | Not held |
| 1946-1947 | Tehran Provincial League | 5th | ||
| 1947-1948 | Tehran Provincial League | ? | ||
| 1948-1949 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1949-1950 | _ | Not held | ||
| 1950-1951 | Tehran Provincial League | 2nd | ||
| 1951-1952 | Tehran Provincial League | 5th | ||
| 1952-1953 | Tehran Provincial League | 3rd | ||
| 1953-1954 | Tehran Provincial League | 4th | ||
| 1954-1955 | _ | Not held | ||
| 1955-1956 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1956-1957 | Tehran Provincial League | 2nd | ||
| 1957-1958 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1958-1959 | Tehran Provincial League | ? | ||
| 1959-1960 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1960-1961 | Tehran Provincial League | 3rd | ||
| 1961-1962 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1962-1963 | Iran Local League | 4th | ||
| 1963-1964 | Iran Local League | 2nd | ||
| 1964-1965 | Tehran Provincial League | 3rd | ||
| 1965-1966 | Tehran Provincial League | 3rd | ||
| 1966-1967 | _ | Not held | ||
| 1967-1968 | Iran Local League | 5th | ||
| 1968-1969 | Iran Local League | 4th | ||
| 1969-1970 | _ | Not held | ||
| 1970-1971 | Iran Local League | 1st | Cup | |
| 1971-1972 | Iran Local League | 4th | 3 | |
| 1972-1973 | _ | Not held | Did not qualify | |
| 1973-1974 | Takht Jamshid Cup | 2nd | ||
| 1974-1975 | Takht Jamshid Cup | 1st | ||
| 1975-1976 | Takht Jamshid Cup | 4th | 1/8 Final | |
| 1976-1977 | Takht Jamshid Cup | 4th | Cup | |
| 1977-1978 | Takht Jamshid Cup | 4th | Not held | |
| 1978-1979 | Takht Jamshid Cup | did not finish | ||
| 1979-1980 | 1979 Shahid Espandi Cup | 6th | ||
| 1980-1981 | Tehran Provincial League | 4th | ||
| 1981-1982 | Tehran Provincial League | 2nd | ||
| 1982-1983 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1983-1984 | Tehran Provincial League | did not finish | ||
| 1984-1985 | Tehran Provincial League | 1st | ||
| 1985-1986 | Tehran Provincial League | 3rd | ||
| 1986-1987 | Tehran Provincial League | 3rd | 1/8 Final | |
| 1987-1988 | Tehran Provincial League | 2nd | 1/16 Final | |
| 1988-1989 | 17th of Shahrivar league | 4th | 1/8 Final | |
| 1989-1990 | Qods League | 1st | Final | |
| 1990-1991 | _ | Not held | 1/8 Final | Cup |
| 1991-1992 | Azadegan League | 2nd | Not held | Final |
| 1992-1993 | Azadegan League | 3rd | Not held | Did not qualify |
| 1993-1994 | 2nd Division | 2nd | ||
| 1994-1995 | Azadegan League | 2nd | ||
| 1995-1996 | Azadegan League | 3rd | Cup | |
| 1996-1997 | Azadegan League | 6th | Semifinal | |
| 1997-1998 | Azadegan League | 1st | Not held | Did not qualify |
| 1998-1999 | Azadegan League | 2nd | Final | Final |
| 1999-2000 | Azadegan League | 2nd | Cup | Second round |
| 2000-2001 | Azadegan League | 1st | Semifinal | 3 |
| 2001-2002 | Iran Pro League | 2nd | Cup | Semifinal |
| 2002-2003 | Iran Pro League | 9th | First round | |
| 2003-2004 | Iran Pro League | 2nd | Final | Did not qualify |
| 2004-2005 | Iran Pro League | 3rd | ||
| 2005-2006 | Iran Pro League | 1st | Quarterfinal | |
| 2006-2007 | Iran Pro League | 4th | 1/16 Final | Disqualified |
| 2007-2008 | Iran Pro League | 13th | Cup | Did not qualify |
| 2008-2009 | Iran Pro League | 1st | 1/16 Final | First round |
| 2009-2010 | Iran Pro League | 3rd | 1/8 Final | Round of 16 |
Esteghlal F.C. Media
Docharkheh Savaran (Taj) Team in 1946
Ali Danaeifard, club player and manager from 1946 until 1969
Büyük Jeddikar is known for being the first footballer in Iranian football history to be transferred from an Iranian club TAJ (Esteghlal) to a foreign club in 1957.
TAJ squad in 1970 as national and continental champions
Esteghlal fans during the Tehran derby
Esteghlal current technical staff; Left to right: Musi Matlaba, Pitso Mosimane, Maahier Davids, Kabelo Rangoaga
Zdravko Rajkov was Esteghlal's first international coach.
Parviz Khosravani, the founder and the first chairman of the club
Esteghlal were crowned champions ending the 2021-22 Persian Gulf Pro League season without a single defeat – the first Iranian team ever to do so in a 30-game league season.
Taj (Esteghlal) championship in the 1970 AFC Champions League, first Asian title for and a Muslim Club and an Iranian club.
