The Esteghlal Khuzestan Herald
Squad3 Aug 2026
Hamid Bouhamdan stays put
“The easiest signature of my career.” Hamid Bouhamdan and Esteghlal Khuzestan agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Words exchanged at Esteghlal Khuzestan
Mohammad Sharifi and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
Boardroom3 Aug 2026
5 academy players handed senior numbers at Esteghlal Khuzestan
The morning the pathway stops being a brochure and becomes a team sheet. Most of them will not be here in three years; all of them have already done the hard part, which was getting to today.
Squad3 Aug 2026
Hamid Bouhamdan falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Match1 Aug 2026
Esteghlal Khuzestan come up short against Zob Ahan
Zob Ahan left with the points after a 1‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Market3 Aug 2026
Esteghlal Khuzestan promote Ahmad Noorafkan from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Ahmad Noorafkan has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market3 Aug 2026
Kaveh Moharrami steps up from the Esteghlal Khuzestan academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Kaveh Moharrami has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
Market3 Aug 2026
Esteghlal Khuzestan promote Ali Gholizadeh from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Ali Gholizadeh has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market3 Aug 2026
Ahmad Jahanbakhsh steps up from the Esteghlal Khuzestan academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Ahmad Jahanbakhsh has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
In brief
- The dugout The manager makes an example of Mohammad Javad Kia
- Squad Too much change too quickly at Esteghlal Khuzestan
- The dugout The view from the dugout