Mahmoud Bayati

Mahmoud Bayati was a football player and coach who coached the Iranian team at the 1972 München Olympics. He started his football career as a member of the Tehran Students Team and then the Tehran Youth Team. Bayati signed a contract with Taj in 1946 and played for them from 1949. He was on the Iran National Team from 1950-59 and retired from his club career with Taj in 1960. As a player he won a silver medal at the 1951 Asian Games and helped Taj win the Tehran Provincial League in 1955/56, 1957/58, and 1959/60.

In 1966 Bayati became Taj’s head coach. He was made the Iran national coach in 1967 and led them to the 1968 AFC Asian Cup title. He resigned after the tournament in protest against activities at the Iran Football Federation but came back as head national coach in 1972 and led the team at the Olympics and in an attempt to qualify for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.