He heralded his arrival on the international football scene by inspiring Iran to gold at the Asian Games in Bangkok in December 1998. He had played just once for Iran prior to the one-month tournament, in a friendly against Kuwait two months earlier, but his performances in Thailand were so impressive that Tehran giants Pirouzi moved immediately to snap him up.
He did not have to wait long for success with his new club, winning a league and cup double in 1999 and then retaining the league championship in 2000. His eye-catching style – wizardry on the ball, mesmerising runs and, most importantly, goals – also won him legions of new fans.
However, the talents of the rising star were catching the eye not only at home, but also abroad, with Italy's Perugia and Spain's Atletico Madrid quick to register an interest. When Karimi did move, however, it was to a club closer to home, UAE outfit Al Ahli, in the wake of Iran's ill-fated qualifying campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™.
In his first season with Al Ahli, he adapted quickly to his new environment and enjoyed a successful debut season, helping the traditional Dubai powerhouses end a long trophy drought with victory in the President’s Cup and earning himself a nomination for the League’s Best Player in the process. Karimi's delightful trickery and sublime skills made him a nightmare for rival defenders and he quickly became an idol in the Middle East.
With his national side, Karimi had an unforgettable campaign in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China, where he emerged as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with five goals, including a spectacular hat-trick in Iran’s 4-3 victory over Korea Republic in the quarter-final. His convincing performances that year marked him out among the continent’s stars and he became the third Iranian player to win the AFC Player of the Year award, following in the footsteps of Ali Daei and Mehdi Mahdavikia.
Possessing an uncanny knack for goals, Karimi excels, too, in the creating of chances. His coolness under pressure was confirmed in a crucial 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Japan when, with a stalemate seemingly all but inevitable, he set up Vahid Hashemian to score the winner. It was a trick he would repeat four days later against Korea DPR in Pyongyang, as the mercurial midfielder kept possession wisely before picking out Javad Nekounam, who duly sealed a 2-0 victory.
A host of European clubs were in pursuit of Karimi in the summer of 2005, with Bayern Munich eventually emerging at the head of the pack to clinch his signature. He is not always a first pick for Bayern coach Felix Magath, but the 27-year-old has impressed on occasions and, if Iran are to have a FIFA World Cup to remember, the likelihood is that Karimi will need to be at his brilliant best.
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