Karim Ansarifard

3.1. Saipa

Ansarifard joined Saipa's youth academy and reserves after being scouted by Ali Daei in Ardabil. His first-team debut came in the 2007-08 season. When Saipa, the reigning Iranian champions, faced scoring problems after the departure of Mohsen Khalili and the retirement of Ali Daei (who remained as coach), Daei promoted Ansarifard to the first team after 12 weeks. The young forward quickly repaid this faith, notably scoring the only goal against a strong Sepahan team.

He continued to develop, scoring 13 goals during the 2009-10 season. His strong performances attracted interest from several European clubs, including Borussia Dortmund and Celtic. In February 2011, Steaua București made a 200.00 K EUR bid for a half-season loan, and in May 2011, Everton also showed interest. However, due to conscription issues, a move to a foreign club became unlikely. Ansarifard renewed his contract with Saipa for another two years on July 14, 2011. In the 2011-12 Iranian Pro League season, he became the league's top scorer with 21 goals and 5 assists.

3.2. Persepolis

Following much speculation, Ansarifard left Saipa and signed a three-year contract with Persepolis on June 17, 2012, where he was given the number 9 shirt. He scored his first goal for the club in a pre-season match against Aluminium. His official debut goal for Persepolis came against Gahar Zagros. He achieved his first hat-trick as a Persepolis player, and the second of his career, against Paykan. He scored another hat-trick in the Round of 32 of the Hazfi Cup against Malavan and also netted Persepolis's first goal in the 2013 Hazfi Cup Final. Despite his efforts, the team ultimately lost the final on penalties.

Initially, Ansarifard intended to remain at Persepolis, even turning down bids from Sepahan, Tractor, and two UAE Pro League sides. However, a falling out with head coach Ali Daei during the pre-season led to him being listed for transfer.

3.3. Tractor

On July 14, 2013, Ansarifard transferred to Tractor, signing a one-year contract that included an option for a move to European leagues if bids materialized. He made his debut on August 1, 2013, in a 1-1 draw in the Tabriz derby against Gostaresh Foolad. During his time at Tractor, he contributed significantly to the team, winning the Hazfi Cup title in the 2013-14 season and being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He scored 17 goals for the Tabriz's reds in all competitions, with 14 of those coming in the league, making him the season's top scorer for the second time in his professional career. In July 2014, Ansarifard was released by Tractor, paving the way for his move to a European club.

3.4. Osasuna

On August 29, 2014, Ansarifard signed a two-year deal with Segunda División club CA Osasuna. He made his league debut on October 4, 2014, coming on as a substitute for Roberto Torres in the 61st minute against Racing de Santander. His first start for the club was on October 18 in a 3-2 victory against CD Tenerife.

3.5. Panionios

In the summer of 2015, Ansarifard joined Panionios in the Superleague Greece. He scored his first goal for the club on October 3, 2015, in a 5-1 win over Panetolikos. On November 7, 2015, he scored the winning goal in a match against Platanias, and on November 28, he netted a brace to help Panionios secure a 2-0 victory against PAS Giannina. A notable solo goal in April 2016 against PAOK earned him goal of the week honors.

Although his contract was due to expire, Panionios offered Ansarifard to PAOK in May 2016, but he was not a top target for the latter at the time. He began the 2016-17 season as Panionios's undisputed offensive leader, scoring his first goal of the season on September 10, 2016, in a 3-0 home win against rivals Asteras Tripolis.

3.6. Olympiacos

On January 13, 2017, Ansarifard signed a 3.5-year contract with Greek football giant Olympiacos for a transfer fee of 400.00 K EUR. Panionios retained a 10% sell-on clause from the deal. He was assigned the number 17 shirt. His first appearance and goal for Olympiacos came on January 24, 2017, in a Greek Cup match against Aris, where he scored the equalizer in a 1-1 away draw.

Ansarifard made his league debut for Olympiacos on February 11, 2017, in a 2-0 win against AEL, entering as a late second-half substitute. On February 23, 2017, he scored a brace in his second Europa League game against Osmanlıspor, which helped Olympiacos advance to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2012. His exceptional performance earned him the UEFA Europa League Player of the Week award.

His first league goal for Olympiacos was scored on March 12, 2017, in a 2-0 victory against Atromitos. At the start of the 2017-18 season, after helping the Greek club secure a league title, Ansarifard was unexpectedly left off the UEFA Champions League squad by new manager Besnik Hasi and put up for sale. However, he continued to perform, scoring a brace against his former club, Panionios, in a thrilling 4-3 away win on October 14, 2017. On December 2, 2017, he sealed a 3-1 home win against Apollon Smyrnis with another brace.

On December 9, 2017, he contributed a goal and an assist to Kostas Fortounis in a dominant 4-1 away Superleague win against Panetolikos. By December 24, 2017, Ansarifard's outstanding performances for Olympiacos marked what was arguably the best year of his career. After Besnik Hasi's dismissal in late September due to poor results, Ansarifard returned to the starting lineup, becoming the league's top scorer at that point with seven goals from 11 matches, and was recognized as the 6th best Asian player in Europe for the season by Football Tribe Asia.

He continued his scoring form into 2018, netting a goal on January 7 in a 3-0 away win against AEL, contributing to the club's seventh successive win in their bid for an eighth consecutive title. On January 15, he scored after an assist from Guillaume Gillet in a 2-0 home win against Lamia. Ansarifard scored in the 26th and 57th minutes of a straightforward 3-0 home victory over 10-man Xanthi on January 21, earning him the MVP of the game. On January 28, he equalized from a penalty in a 1-1 away draw against Asteras Tripolis.

On February 4, 2018, he opened the scoring in a frustrating 2-1 home loss against rivals AEK Athens, which hindered Olympiacos's title challenge. He scored with a cool finish from an exquisite Leonardo Koutris pass in a 1-1 away draw against Levadiakos on March 31. On April 16, he opened the score in an emphatic 5-1 home win against Kerkyra. On April 29, he bagged a brace in a 4-0 home win against Panetolikos, competing with PAOK's forward Aleksandar Prijović for the top scorer title. His contract with Olympiacos was cancelled after the 2017-18 season.

3.7. Nottingham Forest

On November 3, 2018, after delays in obtaining a work permit, Ansarifard officially signed for Nottingham Forest in the Sky Bet Championship. The Iranian international penned a one-and-a-half-year contract. He made his debut for the club on the same day, coming on as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Sheffield United. Ansarifard scored his first goal for Nottingham Forest in a 3-0 home win against Hull City, also providing an assist for the first goal of the match.

3.8. Al-Sailiya

On July 12, 2019, Ansarifard moved to Al-Sailiya in the Qatar Stars League, marking a new chapter in his career in the Middle East.

3.9. AEK Athens

On August 25, 2020, Ansarifard returned to the Greek Super League, signing a three-year contract with AEK Athens. On October 1, 2020, he scored the winning goal in the 90+4 minute, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory against Wolfsburg in the 2020-21 UEFA Europa League play-off round.

He continued to make an impact, coming on as a substitute to help secure a 4-1 home win against AEL on November 22, 2020. The following week, he scored in a 2-1 away victory against Asteras Tripolis. On December 13, 2020, he scored a brace in a thrilling 4-3 away win against Apollon Smyrnis. On January 11, 2021, he scored the only goal in a 1-0 away win against Lamia.

On March 8, 2021, Ansarifard netted another brace in a 2-0 home win against Apollon Smyrnis. On April 11, 2021, he scored a penalty in a 3-1 away victory against Aris Thessaloniki. His contributions extended to European competitions in the following season; on July 22, 2021, he opened the scoring for AEK Athens in the UEFA Europa Conference League, though the team suffered a 2-1 away loss to FK Velež Mostar. On October 24, 2021, he opened the scoring in a 3-1 away win against Volos.

3.10. Omonia

On August 30, 2022, Ansarifard joined Cypriot First Division club Omonia on a two-year contract, with an option for an additional year. He scored his first goal for the club on September 18 in a 4-0 home win against Paralimni.

On October 6, he opened the scoring in a Europa League match against Manchester United, though Omonia eventually lost 2-3 at home. This goal was a significant milestone, making Ansarifard Omonia's 100th player to score in a European competition. He also played a crucial role in the 2022-23 Cypriot Cup, scoring two goals against APOEL in the quarter-finals, which helped his team advance with a 3-2 aggregate victory. On May 24, 2023, Ansarifard scored the winning goal in the final against AEL Limassol, securing Omonia their 16th domestic cup title.

3.11. Aris

In late January 2024, Ansarifard made another move back to the Greek Super League, signing for Aris.

4.1. Youth National Teams

Ansarifard received his first call-up to the Iran U17 national team in 2005. He was part of the squad for the 2006 AFC U-17 Championship, wearing the number 14 shirt, and made substitute appearances in matches against Tajikistan and Yemen. He also represented Iran at the U-20 level from 2007 to 2008, where he made 7 appearances and scored 5 goals. Furthermore, he played for the Iran U-23 team between 2009 and 2011, featuring in 13 matches and scoring 5 goals.

4.2. Senior National Team

Ansarifard made his debut for the senior Iran national team in November 2009 against Iceland under coach Afshin Ghotbi, scoring his first international goal, which was the only goal of the game. He was notably given the number 10 shirt, previously worn by Ali Daei. On January 15, 2011, he scored his third international goal against North Korea, becoming Iran's youngest ever goalscorer in the AFC Asian Cup.

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, Ansarifard scored two goals against Maldives at Azadi Stadium. He also provided a crucial assist in the 94th minute for Mohammad Reza Khalatbari's winner as a late substitute against Uzbekistan in the qualifiers. On June 1, 2014, he was named in Iran's 2014 FIFA World Cup squad by Carlos Queiroz. He played his first World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, coming on as a substitute for Ashkan Dejagah in the 68th minute.

Ansarifard was called into Iran's 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad on December 30, 2014, by Carlos Queiroz. He provided an assist to Sardar Azmoun in their Asian Cup preparation match against Iraq. In May 2018, he was included in Iran's preliminary squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He scored a penalty against Portugal, resulting in a 1-1 draw.

In December 2018, he was selected for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates. In the quarter-final match against China, he scored the third goal in stoppage time during a 3-0 victory. On October 10, 2019, he scored four goals in a historic 14-0 victory over Cambodia during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification second round. In November 2022, he was named in the 25-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In January 2024, he was included in the 26-man squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. In the first group stage match against Palestine, he scored the opening goal in a 4-1 victory, a match that also marked his 100th appearance for the national team.

4.3. International Goals

Scores and results list Iran's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ansarifard goal.

8.1. Club Statistics

8.2. International Statistics