Yuri Valentinovich officially ended his career.
2001. Debut for Spartak from Tambov
He was born into a worker’s family, and his mother worked as a postman. Six people lived in a one-room apartment. Yura often played football late, although he did not stand out for a long time. He was not taken to the school of a fashionable club. But he was remembered by people from the local Spartak. It was in his composition that he made his debut and performed for several years, being an extremely productive midfielder. Now a Serie B player with 10 goals would immediately be promoted, and in the year of the Moscow pogroms, after the adventures of the national team on the world Cup-2002 Nobody signed Zhirkov. Yuri was “Spartak” for two and a half seasons, and also received an electrician’s diploma. But he remained in football for more than twenty years.
2004. Major transfer in a player’s career
The Tambov club received 300,000 euros in cash. Five years later, Chelsea paid seventy times as much. But let’s get back to that, but for now let’s remember the opening for CSKA. In the very first competitive match, Zhirkov won the trophy, ahead of Spartak Moscow in the Super Bowl. The first goal came a little later, in the league against Zenit… In 2005, the midfielder was already a champion, winner of the Cup and Super Bowl. He also won the first Russian Champions Cup. In the final against Sporting in Lisbon, Yuriy won the second goal.
2008 Among the candidates for the “Golden Ball”
Hiddink led the national team to the semi-finals of Euro 2008, while Zhirkov received the Player of the Year award. He entered the symbolic team of the championship of the continent together with Lam, Puyol and other defenders. Furthermore, he was on the list of candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Sure, they didn’t vote for Yuri, but he was in great company. Not even Toni, Benzema, Van der Wart and Pepe scored. The very fact that we saw two Russian players-Arshavin took sixth place, speaks of how Zhirkov was rated at the peak of his form.
2009. I wanted to move to Bayern, but ended up in Chelsea
Yuri Valentinovich himself told how they were offered to choose between Munich, where Olic played, and London, where Abramovich lived. Zhirkov chose Bayern, to which he received a reaction: “Clearly, you will go to Chelsea.” They immediately wrote that it was a mistake. That there is no place for Yuri in the team, that he will miss training. Also, do not forget that we are talking about a person who can rather be called a housewife than a lover of life, not relaxation abroad. At Chelsea, the midfielder’s career did not work out, although they tried to attack him in the center of the field.
2011. Zhirkov joined the Anji project
The Makhachkala club got Roberto Carlos and Eto’o. After that, they were ready to see anyone in Anji. Zhirkov’s arrival was not surprising. Yuri joined a project that did not last long, he failed to snatch the championship from the tenacious clutches of other clubs, but he gathered many interesting and characteristic characters under his banner. After Chelsea, Zhirkov wanted to play normal football, he tried to get in shape. And when the project stalled, the family decided to move back to Moscow.
2013. Dynamo expected more from Yuri
Injuries intervened, the universal player of the left flank did not become the leader of Dynamo. Kokorin, Denisov and Zhirkov joined the team together, where Igor announced the fight for the championship, and later had a skirmish with Cherchesov. The coach suggested going to the shower to “break the midfielder’s neck”. Zhirkov is not so wild in communication. After the best second season at Dynamo, he played as best he could, but the team fell apart. Yuri was taken to Zenit and left the Moscow club for the first time in history RPL.
2015. Zenit has a new Semak
Zhirkov can be compared with the current coach of Zenit. Sergei Bogdanovich came to St. Petersburg with a glorious past CSKA. Semak played in different positions, as well as Zhirkov. But due to age and readiness, the future coach spent fewer seasons – two and a half instead of five and a half in Yuri’s case. Both have increased the trophy collection. To two victories with CSKA and the English championship with Chelsea, Zhirkov added three “gold” with Zenit. Moreover, under the guidance of coach Semak. The veteran helped balance the game.
2021 year. actual retirement
Zhirkov only now, when he won the Legends Cup, squeezed out a phrase that can hardly be called an announcement of his retirement. I haven’t played for two years. In Khimki he played several matches, but was interfered with by a muscle injury. And five years ago he played at the World Cup, until he got injured again in the playoffs. Also, although he finished his international career, he came back, managing to play his 100th match. At Euro 2020, the injury went up again … On the other hand, Zhirkov is now fifty-seven years old, what were you waiting for?
In fact, only thirty-nine, but for Russian footballers such a love of the game is rare. If we talk about Zhirkov at the peak of his form, you get a world-class footballer. Also, in two positions, Yuri knew how to attack and defend. Too bad the offensive potential didn’t reveal itself, he could have scored more often. But such is the playful nature of him. Zhirkov understands football, he worked for the team, unlike dispatcher Arshavin.
It was important for Andrei not only to look at people, but also to show himself. Yuri is easier to present, but his career with many trophies, a European semi-final and a goal in the final of the European Cup can definitely be described as outstanding. Deserved success. There were injuries, after which others did not return, but Zhirkov coped. There were circumstances that broke others psychologically, and Yuri later won many trophies.
Having become important for the national team and for the clubs he represented, for a long time he refused to admit that he would never play again RPLhas just announced his retirement. One of those whose professionalism and class there was no doubt for a decade and a half. There are only a few such players in Russia, especially of this class.
