He wanted to get the best clubs in Europe.

Hard to imagine a better debut

On March 29, 2003, Igor began his professional career playing against Zenit in the 1/8 Cup of Russia. Then Akinfeev was only 17 years old. It so happened that the match against the St. Petersburg team took place during the international break, as a result of which 17 players of the main team CSKA went to their national teams, and Igor himself had to be put through the gate.

Akinfeev held that match with high quality, reflecting penalty. A lucky chance allowed the goalkeeper to loudly declare himself and attract the attention of the crowd. Two months later, he also made his debut in the Russian championship due to Mandrykin, who suddenly fell ill:

“Mandrykin had a fever. I thought the doctors would get him back on his feet in a day. But here is the setting of the match and my name is called. Then I freaked out a bit. Remembering that team, there shouldn’t have been any excitement. We have to go out and beat everyone. Fortunately I succeeded, the guys helped. And finally a miracle happened. I really think it’s a miracle. Lucky”, – Akinfeev told about the match against Krilyev Sovetov and the penalty kick.

After that meeting, Akinfeev began to be released from time to time in the starting lineup, giving practice and playing time more and more often. In the 02/03 season he went on the field in the championship of Russia 13 times, and in subsequent campaigns he became the main goalkeeper CSKA.

Akinfeev loudly declared himself in Europe, which is why many top clubs wanted him

Akinfeev finished the 03/04 season with more interruptions (15) than goals conceded (14). That’s what he deserved a call to the national team in April 2004. Before preparing for Euro 2004, preparatory friendlies were held, where he was allowed to make his debut for the national team. In that meeting, the Norwegian team turned out to be stronger and won 3: 2, but Akinfeev was still called up to the tournament, but did not play a single minute.

In the same year, Akinfeev and CSKA took part in the Champions League 04/05 season, where they took third place in the group stage. After that, the campaign for one of the most significant trophies in Russian club football began. For 9 cup playoff games Uefa Igor conceded only 3 goals, keeping the goal intact in 6 meetings. The final match was held in the home arena for another finalist, Sporting. But even in that game, neither the “army team” nor Akinfeev had an equal.

It was then that Igor began to talk all over Europe. And in the summer of 2006, CSKA Arsenal arrived, looking for a replacement for the aging Jens Lehmann. However, the transfer did not take place, because the president of the “soldiers” Evgeny Giner demanded too much, according to Londoners, the amount.

Arsenal weren’t the only club wanting to buy Akinfeev. In the early 10s with CSKA Manchester United also contacted, but in this case the goalkeeper’s injuries and not too confident play at the World Cup in South Africa. In addition to them, interest, even if not substantial, but at least indirect, has been shown by Real Madrid, Bayern and Chelsea. However, Akinfeev himself did not need this:

Do you regret not having ventured into Europe? Never! As I said about my career, I say the same about my life: this is my life and, thank God, nobody lives it for me, nobody can influence certain situations. I have never regretted anything and I hope I never will. I have loved this team since childhood, I have never betrayed it and I will not betray it.

Akinfeev broke all imaginable and unimaginable records

March 2017. It would seem like a normal match against Tom, but no. In that meeting, Akinfeev once again, for the 161st time, kept the gate closed, breaking the record of the legendary Lev Yashin in the number of “dry” matches in the Russian championship.

December 2018. In the match against Rostov, the captain and goalkeeper CSKA for the 300th time in his career he played “zero”. No one dreamed of such a figure in national football. He also became the youngest goaltender to surpass 100 and 200 shutout points. In addition, Igor is the owner of the longest streak in the history of national teams USSR and Russia, lasting 761 minutes. That’s 9 clean sheets in a row.

After 6 months, in May 2019, Igor reached the mark of 600 matches for the club in official tournaments and became the first player to play that many matches in Russian football for one club. Only CSKA Akinfeev played 728 matches and it seems that hardly anyone will be able to break this record in the coming decades.

However, Igor himself was never blocked by the numbers, because he was always focused on his performance on the football field:

As I always said, now there is no time to pay attention to records, these are just numbers. Going forward, it is important for the team to get back on the winning track, without personal bests being meaningless.

Over his 20-year career, Akinfeev raised 20 trophies above his head: 6 times he became the champion of Russia, 6 times – the Cup of the country, 7 times – the Super Cup, as well as the holder of the Cup Uefa. In addition, he was named Goalkeeper of the Year 10 times and received the Lev Yashin Award.