Yuri Zhirkov

At 40 years old, Yuri Zhirkov has this physical status:

Yuri Valentinovich Zhirkov (born 20 August 1983) is a Russian footballer who plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg. A left-sided player who can play full-back or winger, Zhirkov began his career at local club Spartak Tambov before joining top-flight CSKA Moscow in 2004.

Domestic and European success followed, and in 2009 he moved to English Premier League club Chelsea for £18 million.

After two seasons, he returned to Russia with Anzhi Makhachkala, who sold him to Dynamo Moscow in 2013.

He then signed for Zenit in January 2016. Zhirkov has earned over 90 international caps since 2005.

His performance at UEFA Euro 2008, in which Russia reached the semi-finals, was recognised with his inclusion in the Team of the Tournament and award as well as Futbol's Russian Footballer of the Year.

He was also selected to the Russian squads for Euro 2012, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where Russia hosted the tournament.

Early life

Zhirkov was born in Tambov on 20 August 1983. His father, Valentin Ivanovich Zhirkov, worked at the Revtrud factory and his mother was a postwoman. Yuri was the second child in the family. The family lived in poverty, struggling to buy basic goods such as food and clothes. His first coach was Valery Sharapov, who signed him for the Tambov Regional Children and Youth Sports School.

Personal life

Zhirkov has a sister and two brothers. The younger brother, Nikolai Zhirkov, played for the CSKA Youth Team. Zhirkov married on 1 February 2008 to a Russian model, Inna. On 8 September 2008, their son Dmitriy was born. In 2010, their daughter Milana was born and in 2015 the pair had a second son.

Zhirkov has had two automotive accidents in his life. The first accident occurred in January 2005 in Tambov. Zhirkov, driving on a high speed track, hit a pole while trying to avoid a merging racer. His airbags deployed, leaving him with only minor injuries. On 18 December 2008, Zhirkov was in an accident in Kaliningrad. He left this accident unharmed.

Yuri Zhirkov received his secondary education at school No. 19, after which he entered the school and began training in the specialty of an electrical technician. Upon graduation, he received a diploma of secondary technical education. In December 2008, Zhirkov graduated from Tambov State University

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Club career

Zhirkov began his career in Spartak Tambov, where he scored 26 goals in 74 games as a winger before joining CSKA Moscow.

In January 2004, Zhirkov joined CSKA Moscow. Spartak Moscow's first official match was played on March 7th, 2004. For his first trophy, CSKA's 3–1 win gave him his first. Zhirkov made his UEFA Champions League debut against Neftchi Baku on July 27. He also appeared in the third qualifying round against Rangers.

Zhirkov made his debut in the CIS Cup against Gomel and was forced to leave in the 70th minute. The final score was 2–2. He played all 90 minutes in his second match against Pakhtakor Tashkent, with the final score being 2–1. Zhirkov played all 90 minutes in his last qualifying match against Regar-TadAZ Tursunzoda, which also ended 2–1.

Despite the fact that Zhirkov missed the first match against Benfica, he was involved in the return match. He appeared in both games against Partizan and made a save in the second game. CSKA advanced to the final after beating Auxerre and Parma. Zhirkov scored a goal in the 65th minute against Sporting CP at Sporting CP, giving CSKA a 2–1 lead. The result would have been 3–1, making CSKA the first Russian club to win the UEFA Cup.

In the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, Zhirkov played in all six games of the group stage. He scored a spectacular goal against Hamburger SV on December 6, 2006, which would later be named as the best goal of the competition by the UEFA's official magazine. CSKA lost almost every game in Europe in the 2007–08 season, the 2007–08 season.

On September 18, 2008, Zhirkov began playing in the following season of European competition against Croatian club Slaven Belupo. CSKA came from behind to win their first match 2–1. CSKA beat Deportivo de La Corua 3–0 in the next match. In the game with Lech Pozna, Zhirkov scored against Nancy, Feyenoord, and scored. It was his third goal in European competition.

Zhirkov played in three matches in European competitions in 2009, two against Aston Villa and one against Shakhtar Donetsk. In the second match, he scored his first goal in the 2009 tournament. He was warned by the referee in the third match and therefore missed the upcoming match.

On July 6, 2009, Zhirkov signed Chelsea to a four-year deal for a reported transfer fee of £18 million, far above the £15 million Arsenal paid for Andrey Arshavin in January 2009, making Zhirkov the most expensive Russian football player of all time. Zhirkov scored on his debut in a friendly against Milan, the eventual match winner. He made his competitive debut against Queens Park Rangers in a League Cup match on September 23 after recovering from a knee injury.

On Saturday, Chelsea's David Grayson made his Champions League debut against Porto, playing as a left back and setting up Nicolas Anelka's goal in a 1–0 victory. He suffered from a knee injury in his Chelsea debut against Porto on November 25. On December 20, 2009, Zhirkov made his Premier League debut as a substitute for Joe Cole against West Ham United.

In a 2–1 victory over Fulham on December 28th, he got off to a promising start in his first Premier League appearance. Zhirkov, who was out of service for three months due to Ashley Cole's injury against Everton on February 10, was the first-choice left-back.

Chelsea's Zhirkov was one of the best players in the Champions League round second leg against Internazionale, denying numerous scoring opportunities from Inter's forwards, but Chelsea lost 1–0 on the night and 3–1 on aggregate. Chelsea beat Aston Villa on March 10, two penalties for Chelsea were converted by Frank Lampard, who converted Chelsea to Chelsea, Chelsea beat Chelsea 7-1.

Despite suffering an injury that required four stitches in his head and had his head bandaged for the remainder of the first half following a clash with Bolton captain Kevin Davies on April 13, 2010, Zhirkov put in a man of the match against Bolton Wanderers on April 13. Chelsea won the Premier League and FA Cup double during his first season with Chelsea, making it the club's most profitable season ever. Chelsea's only goal came on October 19, 2010, a volley in a UEFA Champions League match against Spartak Moscow.

At Ewood Park, Zhirkov started for the first team as a replacement for the injured Ramires against Wolverhampton Wanderers, providing two vital assists. In the 71st minute, he came on as a replacement, replacing Florent Malouda against title rivals Manchester United. In the 78th minute, Zhirkov scored a penalty, which was the match-winner. He also struck the ground, with the ball being deflected into the net by United centre-back Nemanja Vidi. Chelsea's final score at Stamford Bridge was 2–1 in favor of Chelsea.

Chelsea reported on August 14 that Zhirkov's transfer to Anzhi Makhachhachchhuyi Makhachhachhachhuy for an undisclosed fee, rumored to be about £13.2 million. Zhirkov has been with the Russian team for four years. Zhirkov's first Anzhi goal came as a result of a corner break against Amkar Perm on October 29, 2011, beating them 2–1 in a 2–1 victory over Amkar Perm.

In his last match for Anzhi, he played the entire match against his former team CSKA Moscow in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw. Both Zhirkov and Jucilei were unable to save their penalties.

Anzhi revealed plans to restructure the company, focusing on youth growth on August 6, 2013; on August 6, 2013. Igor Denisov, Aleksandr Kokorin, and Zhirkov were among the first players to leave Dynamo Moscow for undisclosed fees.

Zhirkov played 14 games in his first season, including three goals: one in a 2–0 win over Krylya Sovetov Samara on his 29 September debut, and two others in a 4–2 victory over former club CSKA on March 9, 2009.

Dynamo's replacement Zhirkov scored the only goal of the match on October 2nd, 2014, in addition to time at the end of their UEFA Europa League group stage match against PSV.

Zenit Saint Petersburg announced on January 26, 2016, that they had signed a two-year agreement with Zhirkov. If Zenit and Dynamo were unable to reach a transfer fee during the winter 2015-2016 transfer window, he would have joined Zenit in July 2016 as a free agent after his Dynamo deal came to an end. However, the two clubs decided on a transfer fee and Zenit was signed on January 30.

On January 13, 2022, he signed a Khimki deal until the 2021–22 season, with the ability to extend for an additional year. By mutual consent on June 27, 2022, Zhirkov's deal with Khimki was terminated.

International career

Zhirkov made his Russian debut on February 9, 2005, winning by 2–0 friendly over Italy in Cagliari, beginning in a 2–0 friendly loss to Italy.

After assisting the team in the team's to the semi-finals, Zhirkov was named in the UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament. In October 2008, Zhirkov was chosen as one of the top 30 candidates for the Ballon d'Or award, which is given to Europe's best player.

Zhirkov received his first red card for the national team on November 18, 2009, after pushing a Slovenian replacement during the game's 0–1 away loss to Slovenia in the second leg of the 2010 FIFA World Cup play-off.

During a friendly match against Serbia in Moscow in August 2011, Zhirkov was booed by Russians almost every time he touched the ball; he was also bombarded with a cigarette packet near the corner corner. Fans of Anzhi had been uplifted by his transfer to Anzhi.

On May 25, 2012, Zhirkov was recalled for Russia's Euro 2012 squad, playing in all three of Russia's matches as they were disqualified in the group stage.

Zhirkov was named in Russia's 2014 World Cup squad on June 2nd. Morocco defeated Morocco 2–0 in the tournament's last preparation match for the 61st cap, as he reached his first international goal with a volley. He appeared in just one match at the finals, playing 71 minutes of the opening 1–1 draw against South Korea before being replaced by Aleksandr Kerzhakov. At the group level, Russia had to leave the tournament.

In a friendly 4–2 loss to France at the Stade de France on March 29, Zhirkov scored his second international goal on March 29, 2016.

Zhirkov was not in Russia's squad for Euro 2016, but he returned for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he was in the starting lineup for all three of the team's games. On June 24, 2017, he was sent off in Russia's last group match after being defeated 1–2 by Mexico in Kazan.

He was included in Russia's extended 2018 FIFA World Cup squad on May 11, 2018. He was named in the finalized World Cup squad on June 3, 2018. In the first knock-out stage game against Spain in the Round of 16, he started in the first two group-stage games and then returned to the starting lineup. However, his nagging illness forced him to be recalled at halftime of Spain's game by Vladimir Granat, and he was unable to participate in the quarterfinal game against Croatia, which Russia lost in the penalty shootout.

Following the World Cup, he resigned from the national team. Despite the announcement, he was called up to the national team for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Belgium and Kazakhstan on March 16th. He played his 100th match for Russia in the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League on November 18, 2020.

He was drafted into the preliminary extended 30-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020 on May 21, 2021. He was named in the final squad on June 2nd, 2021. On June 20, 2021, he started Russia's first game against Belgium but was forced to be recalled in the first half due to a leg injury. Due to his illness, he did not participate in Russia's two remaining games because they were ruled out of group play.

Career statistics

International goals

Russia's rank came in first, according to the first place. Every Zhirkov goal scores a score.

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