I'm the biggest name in football... but friends call me 'Gucci', says Charlton's Iranian striker Ghoochannejhad



It is pronounced ‘Gooch-an-ee-chad’, in case you were wondering. Charlton Athletic striker Reza Ghoochannejhad boasts the longest surname in English football.

He will face the likes of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Edin Dzeko of Bosnia and Manchester City at the World Cup with Iran this summer, so we better get used to it.

Good luck to all commentators, pundits and Sky’s Soccer Saturday panel getting the hang of this particular moniker.

Long name... long way to go? Reza Ghoochannejhad is a new name in English football at Charlton

Ghoochannejhad, 26, is set to make his FA Cup debut against Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow after joining Charlton from Standard Liege in January, one of four imports from the Belgians during the window. Businessman Roland Duchatelet now owns both clubs after taking over at The Valley last month.

For £12.95 you can have ‘any name and number’ printed on your Charlton replica shirt, but Ghoochannejhad has opted to wear ‘Reza’ on his back. He has been nicknamed ‘Gucci’ in his native Iran, yet seems slightly embarrassed with the connection to the luxury designer brand.

Charlton fans have already come up with a possible solution: ‘We’re calling him Dave,’ is the striker’s mooted new song at The Valley.

‘My last name is . . . very long,’ says Ghoochannejhad, smiling. ‘They gave me the nickname “Gucci” in Iran and the people here took it over. It’s not something I made up. Believe me, it has nothing to do with the brand — it’s just to shorten my name.

‘The lads sometimes make fun of me, but so be it. It’s too long to put on my shirt. Diego Poyet (the Charlton midfielder) told me this morning it’s the longest surname in the history of British football.

‘It’s OK, but people can call me Reza. It’s up to the fans to make up chants with Reza — that’s probably easier!’ He takes it all in good humour, delivering answers in softly spoken, immaculate English — one of four languages in which he is fluent. Ghoochannejhad only gave up reading law three years ago when he moved from SC Cambuur in Holland to Belgian club Sint-Truidense and may pick up his academic studies after football.

Bring on Messi: The Charlton man will be at the World Cup with Iran this summer

He also enjoys playing Iranian songs on the violin, piano and guitar — ‘Not perfectly, though. I’d like to say people saw me as the next Mozart, but it’s not true!’

Ghoochannejhad was born in Iran, but his football education began in Holland when his parents moved the family to Leeuwarden when the striker was eight and his elder brother Mehdi, now a physiotherapist, was 13.

Ghoochannejhad represented Holland at Under 15 to Under 23 level, but then came the call from former Manchester United coach and Real Madrid manager Carlos Queiroz, now in charge of Iran. ‘It was a very easy choice to switch,’ says Ghoochannejhad. ‘I was raised with both cultures but deep in my heart there is also Iranian pride.

‘We had a chit-chat and the manager said, “I think you can help me, if you feel you want to wear the jersey. If you’re proud enough to wear the jersey, give me a call”.

‘I said, “I don’t need to call you back. I’ll tell you ‘Yes’ right now”.’

New surroundings: 'Gucci' played for Holland in his youth, but switched to play for Iran

Ghoochannejhad scored in each of Iran’s final three qualification games to ensure his nation’s passage to this summer’s World Cup in Brazil. Queiroz’s side face Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Nigeria in the group stages but, although Ghoochannejhad names Messi as one of his role models, he will not think that far ahead. For now, he insists his priority is to help keep Charlton in the second tier.

It was Ghoochannejhad’s childhood dream to play in England, yet he joins a side three points adrift of safety in the Championship — albeit with two games in hand. Charlton have not won a league game since Boxing Day, but have knocked Oxford United and Huddersfield out of the Cup. Boss Chris Powell, whose picture as a Charlton player adorns the walls at the training ground, is under pressure, but Ghoochannejhad pleads for time.

Battle: He has been getting used to the physical nature of the Championship

Tough times: But the striker has backed manager Chris Powell

He said: ‘It’s a boy’s dream to play in England, and also with Charlton, a club where I will have good opportunities to play. That was a very important issue for me. I don’t feel pressure. I’m here to help the other lads out. I’m one of them.

‘It’s going to take time to get used to each other — the players, the gaffer — and I hope that time’s going to be given. The FA Cup can help, of course. If we can win, it will be good for confidence and I’m excited about playing in it.