TEHRAN -- Former Iranian national midfielder Mehrdad Minavand passed away on Wednesday from COVID-19 at the age of 45, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Minavand was hospitalized on January 21 after testing positive for the disease.
He was part of the Iran squad that played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
The left winger had two stints at Iranian side Persepolis and also played for Austrian club Sturm Graz and Charleroi of Belgium.
