Melody maker: viral hit Beiranvand Iran's Asian Cup rock

He's the safe hands behind Iran's Asian Cup quest whose rags-to-riches story turned him into a national hero -- now giant goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand has become an internet smash.

Videos of the 26-year-old shot-stopper throwing the ball over 70 metres to a striker during Iran's clash with Iraq in Dubai went viral, while national coach Carlos Queiroz calls him the heartbeat of his title-chasing side.

"Ali is fantastic," Queiroz told AFP before Iran face Oman in the last 16 of the Asian Cup on Sunday.

"It's not only his size, it's his big heart."

Beiranvand shot to fame at last year's World Cup when he saved a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in Iran's 1-1 draw with Portugal.

But the Iran goalkeeper melted the hearts of football fans around the world by revealing that he had run away from his nomad family and worked in a car wash and as a street cleaner before making it as a footballer.

Beiranvand even slept on the streets of Tehran as he hustled for a chance to show clubs he was made of the