The other best players are Shunsuke Nakamura of Japan, Younis Mahmoud Khalaf of Iraq, Saleh Mohammed Nu’eimah of Saudi Arabia and Tim Cahill of Australia.
Daei was a prolific goalscorer known for his heading accuracy and ability in the air.
He was the world’s top international goalscorer with 108 goals until his record was broken by Portugese legend Cristiano Ronald in 2021.
During his playing career, Daei was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2001.
After his retirement, Daei served as a member of the FIFA Football Committee between 2007 and 2013. Finally, he was inducted into the Asian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
