New Delhiinfo-icon:- Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand became an overnight star after he blocked a penalty kick by Cristiano Ronaldo during a Group B match of the ongoing 21st edition of the FIFA World Cupinfo-icon in Russiainfo-icon. However, if one looks back at his past life - the struggles that he went through - surely does not look less than the subject of a biopic.

Beiranvand apparently slept on the street, worked at a car wash and ran away from his nomad lifestyleinfo-icon to Tehraninfo-icon to achieve his dream of becoming a footballer.

"Iranian goalkeeper slept on the street, worked in a car wash and was homeless in order for him to make his dream of playing footballinfo-icon come true. He ran away from his nomad lifestyle to Tehran and struggled to reach his dream. Tonight he blocked a penalty by Ronaldo. #motivation," read a post on Twitterinfo-icon by Iraqi activist and journalist Steven Nabil.

Iranian goalkeeper ,slept in the street, worked in a car wash and was homeless in order for him to make his dream of playing football come true. He ran away from his nomad lifestyle to Tehran and struggled to reach his dream, tonight he blocked a penalty by #ronaldo. #motivation

Further sharing details about Beiranvand's life, Nabil wrote: "People would walk by and see him sleeping in front of the football club's gate. They would throw coins thinking he is a homeless person. He was, but he had a dream. Today he will be on every television screen in the worldinfo-icon."

Iranian goalkeeper ,slept in the street, worked in a car wash and was homeless in order for him to make his dream of playing football come true. He ran away from his nomad lifestyle to Tehran and struggled to reach his dream, tonight he blocked a penalty by #ronaldo. #motivation pic.twitter.com/87SplGzB2p

People would walk by and see him sleeping in front of the football club's gate they would throw coins thinking he is a homeless person. He was but he had a dream. Today he will be on every television screen in the world.

Nabil has called Beiranvand's heartfelt life journey a story of 'struggle and hope and success'.

For those unversed, the most unusual part of the 1-1 draw between Portugalinfo-icon and Iraninfo-icon at the Mordovia Arena came in at the 53rd-minute when in-form Ronaldo went off target with a penalty awarded after a video-assisted review.

Despite a strong attack from Iran, Portugal managed to enter the round of 16 after their final group encounter.

Iran's goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand ran away from home, grew up homeless, and slept outside his local team's football stadium. People gave him change because they thought he was a beggar. Tonight he's just saved a penalty against Cristiano Ronaldo in the World Cup.

Ricardo Quaresma gave Portugal the lead in the 45th minute, but Iran found the equaliser through a penalty conversion from Karim Ansarifard in the extra time.

Ronaldo's miss was punished in the extra time when Cedric Soares was pinged for handball following which referee Enrique Caceres again went to his video monitor.

While Iran couldn't make it to the knockout rounds of the tournament, the 37th ranked surely had something good to take away from their last match against fourth-ranked Portugal.

Not to miss out, this is not the first time when an Iranian goalkeeper has received so much limelight away from the field.

Soon after Iran's first match at the 2014 World Cup against Nigeriainfo-icon, goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi's name became viral over social mediainfo-icon for his good looks.

During that time, he suddenly became a sweetheart for thousands around the world.