Ali Karimi, ex-Bayern Munich player, escapes death threats by moving to the USA after house seizure by government.

Ali Karimi, a former Bayern Munich star and Iran international, has fled to the United States to escape death threats after the Iranian government seized his house. Karimi won a German league and cup double with Bayern in 2006, scoring four goals in 42 appearances across two seasons for the club. He also played for Schalke and top clubs in Iran, UAE, and Qatar. The playmaker won 127 caps and captained Iran, but has come under fire since publicly supporting anti-government protests in Iran last year. The Dubai-based Karimi was charged in his absence with encouraging riots, and the Iranian state seized his house near Tehran. Karimi has now moved to the USA for his own safety and revealed his plight via video link during an event at Germany’s Football Museum on Monday. He had lent his support to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement that rose to prominence after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in Iranian police custody in September 2022.