*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:00, 31 August 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:41, 16 July 2024 (UTC)
Born in Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan,[3] Kouhyar moved to England as a two-year-old due to conflict in his home country.[4] His parents settled in Handsworth suburb of Birmingham and his father worked as a pizza delivery driver, before returning to Afghanistan to work as an interpreter, leaving his mother to bring up the four children.[3] At the age of eleven he was spotted by a Coventry City scout after attending a Saturday football session with his cousin, and joined the club's youth system.[3]
Walsall
After being released from Coventry at the age of sixteen, he played in Sunday league football, before being spotted by a Walsall scout whilst playing in a local Powerleague.[3] After a trial, he subsequently joined the club.[5] He went on to sign a two-year scholarship with the club, progressing to sign his first professional deal in February 2016, on a one-year contract with the option of a further year.[5] He made his professional debut in August 2016, in a 2–0 defeat to Chesterfield, replacing Kieron Morris as a substitute.[6] He scored his first goal for Walsall in an EFL Trophy tie against Grimsby Town on 30 August 2016.[7]
On 9 December 2016 he signed a new contract with Walsall until the summer of 2019.[8]
He left Walsall due to a knee injury, and began working in a fried chicken shop.[9]
In a November 2020 interview following his departure from the club, Kouhyar spoke out against abuse he had received during his time with the club in which he had been labelled a "terrorist" by a teammate.[10]
Hereford
In March 2021, Kouhyar signed for National League North club Hereford having been away from football for eighteen months with an ACL injury.[11] Despite the early cancellation of the season, Kouhyar was part of the Hereford team that made it to the 2021 FA Trophy final, defeated 3–1 by league below Hornchurch.[12]
After scoring three goals and registering an assist as his team pushed for the play-offs, Kouhyar was awarded the National League North Player of the Month award for February 2022.[13] This award came after reported interest from Football League scouts.[14]
On 22 March 2022, Kouhyar signed for National League North club York City on a free transfer.[15] On 15 April, Kouhyar scored his first goal for York in a 1–0 National League North victory over Spennymoor Town.[16] The season ended in success for Kouhyar and York as they secured promotion to the National League through the play-offs, Kouhyar scoring the second goal in a 2–0 final victory over Boston United.[17]
On 23 January 2024, Kouhyar joined former club Hereford on a one-month loan.[18]
International career
In October 2016, he received his first call-up to the Afghanistan national team for the friendly against Malaysia.[4] While he was on international duty with the national team, he picked up an injury which cost him three months without playtime and required knee surgery.[19] Kouhyar made his formal debut for Afghanistan in a friendly 2–0 loss to Oman on 30 August 2017.[20] In 2018 he rejected a call-up for a home match against Palestine as his family did not want him to travel to Kabul.[3]
