According to reports, Ali Daei has always stated that he wants his records to be broken. After Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed his world football scoring record, he reacted happily. Now, another historic achievement—being the only Iranian to play in a Champions League final—has been matched by Mehdi Taremi.

Mehdi Taremi previously reached the quarter-finals with FC Porto but missed the chance to advance further, unlike Ali Daei, who played in the final with Bayern Munich. However, on Tuesday night, this historic moment unfolded for Taremi in a memorable match against Barcelona at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

The Iranian star of Inter, after enduring tough weeks, delivered a strong performance in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. The return leg was his opportunity to shine and secure Inter’s place in the final, matching Ali Daei’s record.

Taremi, who came on as a substitute in the 71st minute of the second leg against Barcelona, made a decisive impact in extra time. His assist for Davide Frattesi’s goal and relentless pressing on Barcelona’s technical players were key to Inter’s victory.

Ali Daei was the only Iranian footballer to reach the Champions League final with Bayern Munich in 1999, but he remained on the bench during their 2-1 loss to Manchester United. Now, Taremi has a different opportunity.

Given his recent performances, especially against Barcelona, Taremi is now a strong candidate to start or at least feature in the final against Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal. If he plays, he will become the first Iranian to appear in a European final.

Taremi, who has played in 12 Champions League matches this season, scoring once and providing three assists, hopes to feature in the final and contribute to lifting the trophy—an achievement Ali Daei and Bayern missed in 1999.