South Korea's Kwon Chang-Hoon (R) fights for the ball with Iran's Ali Karimi (L) during the FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifying football match in Seoul on Aug 31, 2017. (JUNG YEON-JE / AFP)

TEHRAN - Former Bayern Munich and Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski has said that Ali Karimi is the best ever soccer player in Iran's history, the Tehran Times daily reported on Monday.

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"My first year at Bayern, it was a pleasure to play with this legend Ali Karimi. He is the best ever from Iran," said Podolski, who played for Bayern Munich from 2006 to 2009.

Karimi joined Bayern Munich in 2005 as a midfielder and scored three goals in 33 matches for the German giants.

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He became the third Iranian after Ali Daei and Vahid Hashemian to try his luck with Bayern.

Karimi is arguably one of Asia's greatest players, and is often listed as one of the greatest Iranian players of all time.