
A free kick in first-half stoppage time against China in Kuala Lumpur on 15 July 2007 brought Iran level at the Asian Cup, and it was exactly the ball-striking Kaiserslautern had signed him for. A quarter-final run at that 2007 Asian Cup, a place in Iran's squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, two Bundesliga seasons with Kaiserslautern, and five goals in twenty-nine caps between 2005 and 2009. Career record: club career at SV Meppen, VfB Lübeck, 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
| 1998–2000 | SV Meppen |
| 2000–2002 | SC Freiburg |
| 2002–2004 | VfB Lübeck |
| 2004–2006 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern |
| 2006–2006 | TuS Koblenz |
| 2007–2007 | Apollon Limassol |
| 2008–2008 | Olympiakos Nicosia |
| 2008–2009 | Alki Larnaca |
| 2009–2011 | Steel Azin |
| 2011–2012 | Esteghlal |
| 2012–2014 | Al Ahli SC |
Iran legends whose careers overlapped Zandi's
One rank above: Andranik Eskandarian at #26.
One rank below: Hossein Kaebi at #28.
Iran's editorial top five: Ali Daei · Ali Karimi · Ali Parvin · Khodadad Azizi · Parviz Ghelichkhani.