[5] He was the world's top international goal-scorer with 108 goals[6] until his record was broken by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021 and went to third after being surpassed again by Lionel Messi in 2024.

Following his impressive performance in the Asian Cup in 1996, he moved to Al Sadd for the 1996–1997 season before joining Bundesliga side Arminia Bielefeld in 1997 alongside fellow Iranian national teammate Karim Bagheri.

Daei was unhappy with his club position and decided to move to Hertha BSC before the end of his three-year contract when Bayern won the championship title in the 1999 Bundesliga.

He scored his first and second goal in the UEFA Champions League on 21 September 1999 in a group stage match against Chelsea, won by Hertha 2–1.

Daei was playing in numerous continental friendlies against world-class opposition, yet was still unable to maintain a stable position in his club's starting line-up.

In 2001, he was not among the top scorers in the Asian Qualifying round and he did not manage to take the team into the World Cup as captain for the first time.

He spent two years at Saba Battery, scoring 23 goals, winning the Hazfi Cup and participating in the Asian Champions League.

After World Cup 2006 and the arrival of Saba Battery's new manager, Farhad Kazemi, it was announced that he was no longer needed on the team and his contract would not be renewed.

[16] On 28 May 2007, after Saipa won the 2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup in a match vs Mes Kerman, Daei announced his retirement from playing club football and that he would concentrate on his coaching career.

[17] Daei was named the World's top scorer in official international competitions by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), having scored 20 goals in competitive matches for Iran in 1996, including his famous four-goal haul against South Korea in Asian Cup 1996.

[18] Daei was called up to join Team Melli on 6 June 1993 in an ECO Cup tournament held in Tehran, where he made his debut for Iran against Pakistan.

He continued his national team appearances and was named the top scorer of the final Asian round of 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifications with four goals in 5 matches.

On 17 November 2004, Daei became the first male footballer with 100 international goals when he scored four times against Laos in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

[20][21] Daei ended his international career with 109 goals,[22] an all-time record[23] which stood until September 2021 when it was surpassed by Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

Going into his second season as manager, Daei relinquished his playing duties for the defending champions and found himself on the sidelines full-time.

However, Daei did lead Saipa to an Asian Champions League quarterfinal berth before leaving to take over as the full-time manager of the Iranian national football team.

While introducing many new players, such as Gholamreza Rezaei, and Ehsan Hajsafi, Daei's squad was often in flux as to who would be invited to a fixture.

Many critics also pointed towards the failures of Daei's team to score and an unsolved weakness in the central defense as causes for his downfall.

Daei became manager of Naft Tehran on 5 July 2016 by signing a two-year contract, replacing Alireza Mansourian.

[41][42] Iranian journalist Camelia Entekhabifard wrote in her memoirs that she married Daei in 1997, but the couple separated.

While he played for Bayern Munich, he refused to hold a glass of beer for an Erdinger advertisement because alcoholic beverages are forbidden in his religion.

[45] In April 2008, Daei announced that he had begun writing an autobiography, due to be released in March 2010, and that despite reflecting on "bitter and sweet memories," he stated he would "keep some of his secrets in his heart forever".

Rah Ahan's Media Officer, Hossein Ghadousi stated that "Daei is in a stable condition with regards to his vital signs and is not currently in any acute danger as a result of the accident".

"[47] Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, said on his personal Twitter page that he was shocked to hear Daei was injured.

[52][53] On 26 December 2022, Daei said that an international flight carrying his wife, Mona Farrokhazari, and daughter, which was heading to Dubai was forced to return to Kish Island, due to his support for anti-government protests.