Fifa President, Gianni Infantino has expressed his deepest condolences to the Iran Football Federation over death of Team Melli ex-coach Mansour Pourheydari.

Esteghlal legend Mansour Pourheydari passed away at age of 70 on Friday after a one-year battle with lung disease in Tehran's Iranmehr Hospital.



"It is with great sadness that I learned of the sad news of the death of Mansour Pourheydari," Blatter said in a message sent to the Iranian club.



"On behalf of FIFA and in my own name, I offer his family and Iran football society my sincerest condolences."

He began his football career at the age of 17 in Daraei but was transferred to Taj (now Esteghlal) in 1965 and played as a right defender for 10 years and won the Asian Championship in 1970.

Pourheydari also played for Iran national football team and made three caps for Team Melli. He announced his retirement in 1977.

He began his managerial career in 1980 as assistant coach to Abbas Razavi and Asghar Sharafi.



He was promoted as the club's head coach in 1983 after the resignation of Sharafi.

Pourheydari led Esteghlal to its second Asian trophy in 1991.

The coach also coached Fajr Sepasi and Sanat Naft in Iranian football league.

Pourheydari became head coach of Iran national football team in 1998 and inspired the team to win the Asian Games in Bangkok.