Esteghlal (Persian: استقلال, meaning "independence") is an Iranian professional football club based in Tehran. The club was formed in 1945 as Docharkhe Savaran (Persian: دوچرخه سواران), meaning 'The Cyclists' and played their first competitive match in November 1947, when they played the first week of the 1947–48 Tehran Club Championship. The club was renamed Taj (Persian: تاج), meaning 'The Crown' in February 1950 and again Esteghlal in April 1979 as an aftermath of Iranian revolution.