Restrictions for Russian sports make many athletes seriously think about changing their citizenship. Foreigners are looking at our skaters, luring chess players, cyclists and athletes. There is also a demand for domestic football players. However, not everyone is ready to give up their native country for the sake of short-term prospects.

The T-shirt with the double-headed eagle on the chest is still valuable.

“Playing as Russia is better for everyone”

The issue of changing citizenship, which is relevant for many Russian athletes in the light of restrictions, has also reached football. Even before all sorts of difficulties with the Russian national team, Eduard Spertsyan, a pupil of Krasnodar, who was born in Stavropol, chose to represent the Armenian team. A few years earlier, Ramil Sheydayev from St. Petersburg, who once shone at the European Youth Championship as part of the Russian national team, chose to represent Azerbaijan at the adult level. More recently, Saba Sazonov, another native of the Zenit academy, surprised me with his desire to play for Georgia.

Muscovite Alexander Kovalenko decided to take a different path. The midfielder of the “Wings of the Soviets” was invited by the Armenian team, for which the naturalization of the Russians has already become a matter of habit – he chose the Russian team. At first glance, it may seem strange, why would a guy with a Slavic surname become a partner of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the company? But there is nothing surprising here – the pupil of “Chertanovo” has enough Armenian blood to legally claim sports citizenship of the Transcaucasian republic.

Photo: © Denis Bushkovsky / Match TV

The influence of relatives in such cases is often decisive, which has been repeatedly observed in other precedents. Alexander, who received an official invitation from the Football Federation of Armenia, which now plays without any restrictions at the international level, also decided to discuss this topic with his family.

“I consulted with my family, we decided that it would be better for everyone to play for Russia,” Match TV quoted the player as saying.

“We have a bright future”

Alexander Kovalenko made his choice – he refused Armenia, and now he is preparing to make his debut for the Russian national team as part of the team of Valery Karpin. So far, in a friendly game against Kyrgyzstan, when the midfielder will be able to play the first official match at the international level is unknown. The player, however, does not lose heart and expects that the difficult situation will not last forever.

– I hope that soon all these sanctions on Russian football will be lifted and everything will be fine. I believe that we have a bright future ahead of us. My dream is to play at the Euro and the World Championship! – quotes Kovalenko “Match TV”.

Perhaps, right now, the choice in favor of Armenia could really seem more promising to someone. Playing in the Nations League and qualifying for the European Championship is better than playing friendly matches from time to time. But if there is an ambitious goal to play at the World and European Championships, then it will be a little easier to do this as part of the Russian team. In the next 10-12 years, the football player will still be able to qualify for a place in the national team. And there is a good chance that during this time period the restrictions for our sport will be revised.

In the case of Kovalenko, by the way, one should not talk exclusively about pragmatics, judging by the statements of the athlete. Alexander proudly says that it is an honor for him to wear the Russian national team shirt. The uniform of the main team of the country with a double-headed eagle on his chest is of great value to him – he is not going to give it to anyone.