Fazel Atrachali Wiki, Height, Weight, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Fazel Atrachali is an Iranian Kabaddi player who has also captained the Iran national team in international competitions and U Mumba, Puneri Paltan, and Gujarat Giants in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). He is one of the most successful defenders in the game of Kabaddi. He has won two PKL seasons in 2015 (Season 2) and 2016 (Season 4).

Wiki/Biography

Fazel Atrachali was born on Sunday, 29 March 1992 (age 31 years; as of 2023) in Mohammadabad village, Anjirab Rural District, Central District, Gorgan County, Golestan Province, Iran. His zodiac sign is Aries. When he was 7 years old, he started wrestling in his village with his friends; however, his coach left the village, and he started playing football as a goalkeeper and defender.

When he turned 11, he started playing Kabaddi as he was not interested in football and became a member of the junior team of Iran and later became a professional Kabaddi player.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 0″

Weight (approx.): 80 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Hazel Brown

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information about his family and siblings.

Wife & Children

His wife’s name is Eliye Hoseyni; the couple got married in early 2017. His wife is a tailor, and her favourite sport is hockey.

He has two daughters. His elder daughter is named Selena Atrachali who was born on 3 August 2018, and his younger daughter is named Selin Atrachali born on 3 August 2020.

Religion

He follows Islam.

Nationality

He is Iranian.

Career

International

He played for the Iran National Kabaddi team in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, and captained them in the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Asian Games held in Incheon (South Korea), Jakarta-Palembang (Indonesia), and Hangzhou (China) respectively. He competed in the 2013 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games held in Incheon, South Korea.

He led the Iranian team to the final of the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, held in Ahmedabad, India, which they lost to India. In the 2017 Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Gorgan, Iran, his team got eliminated in the semifinals and lost to India in the final of the 2023 Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Busan, South Korea. He also played in a Beach Kabaddi Championship.

Leagues

Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)

Fazel Atrachali was acquired by U Mumba for Rs 4 lakhs for Season 2 in 2015 and played for U Mumba in Season 3 in 2016. He played his first match in the second season of the Pro Kabaddi League on 4 August 2015 for U Mumba against Dabang Delhi at G. M. C. Balayogi Indoor Stadium, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, India; he won the Pro Kabaddi title in his debut season in 2015.

Patna Pirates acquired him for Rs 38 lakhs for season 4 in 2017.

Atrachali was acquired by Gujarat Fortune Giants for Rs 55 lakhs for Season 5 in 2018.

In Season 6 in 2019, he was acquired by U Mumba for Rs 1 crore, and retained by them for Rs 1.10 crore for Season 7 in 2020, and Rs. 1.21 crore for Season 8 in 2021-22.

In the Season 9 in 2022, Puneri Paltan acquired him for Rs 1.38 crores.

Gujarat Giants acquired Atrachali for Rs 1.60 crore for Season 10 in 2023-24. He has also captained U Mumba, Puneri Paltan, and Gujarat Giants in different PKL seasons.

Iran Champions League/Iran Premier Kabaddi League

He is the captain of the Golestan team in the Iran Champions League (later titled Iran Premier Kabaddi League) and led them to the title win in 2018.

Jersey Number

He wore jersey number 1 for Iran in international tournaments and for U Mumba in Pro Kabaddi League.

Records

• Most Tackle Points scorer in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) (424 tackle points till season 9)

• Most successful captain in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)

• The first player in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) to be acquired for Rs 1 crore (by U Mumba in 2019 for season 6)

• First player in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) to be thrice acquired for more than Rs 1 crore (In 2019, 2022, 2023)

• Two-time Defender of the Season Award in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) (2017 & 2019) (shared with Manjit Chillar)

Medals

Gold

• 2018: 18th Asian Games

  Fazel Atrachali with the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games

Silver

• 2016: Kabaddi World Cup

  Fazel Atrachali with the silver medal at the 2016 World Cup

• 2023: 19th Asian Games

  Fazel Atrachali with the silver medal at the 19th Asian Games

Awards, Achievements

• Best Defender of the Season Award in Season 4 (2017) and Season 7 (2019) of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)

  Fazel Atrachali with the Best Defender of the Tournament Award

• The highest-paid foreign player in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)

Car Collection

He owns a Land Rover 109 SUV.

Tattoos

He has a tiger tattoo on his right chest and some other tattoos on his left chest.

Facts/Trivia

• Fazel Atrachali did not earn much playing Kabaddi during the early 2010s, hence he used to work as a Blacksmith during his free time. He earned around Rs 20,000 per month from his job as a blacksmith.

• His position is in the left corner. He plays as a defender.

  Fazel Atrachali playing in a Kabaddi match

• He is fondly called ‘Sultan’ and ‘The Great Wall of Iran’ by his fans.

• In an interview, Atrachali said that he wanted to be a fireman. He has received many job offers from several companies; however,  he did not like a 9-5 job. He could not clear the exams for the position of fireman, and hence, he focused on Kabaddi.

• Fazel Atrachali revealed in an interview that he started playing Kabaddi after seeing Gholamreza Mazandarani who lived in Fazel’s neighbourhood. Mazandarani later became Fazel’s coach.

  Fazel Atrachali with his coach, Gholamreza Mazandarani (right)

• In an interview, Atrachali said that his strong point is his body strength and no raider can match him for his power.

• His favourite Kabaddi move is the quick dash in which he runs towards the raider and throws them out of the line.

• His pre-match rituals include watching videos of opposition players, making strategies against them, and practising according to their rivals.

• His weight often remains between 75 to 90 kg as the weight limit for international Kabaddi players is 80 kg and in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is 85 kg.

• Fazel Atrachali said in an interview that he gives free shoes and training jerseys to local players in his city to encourage them.

• He is fond of firearms and owns a rifle.

  Fazel Atrachali holding a rifle

• He is a dog lover and has a pet dog.

  Fazel Atrachali with his pet dog

• Fazel Atrachali often does rope workouts, lifts weights, swims, stair climbs, and plays football to maintain his fitness.

  Fazel Atrachali playing football