Russian football players perform in European championships with varying degrees of success. One of the few who constantly gives reasons for joy in recent years has been Nikita Khaikin. The Russian goalkeeper made a huge contribution to the Bodø-Glimt club winning another title.

Nikita is simply adored by fans.

Season of the highest class

Khaikin moved to the Norwegian championship in 2019. In his first season with Nikita in goal, Bodø-Glimt won silver medals in the championship. Then came two championships in a row, one of the main creators of which was our goalkeeper. The team was also making noise in Europe. Thanks to his excellent performances, Khaikin even attracted the attention of the Russian national team coaches.

In January of this year, the Russian goalkeeper went to conquer England, but did not play a single official match in Bristol. In March he returned to Bodø-Glimt. The team played on three fronts, and an experienced goalkeeper became an important factor in success.

In 27 matches in the national championship, Nikita kept the goal intact eight times, conceding for the first time only in the fourth round. The Russian also performed well in the qualifying matches of the Conference League. He kept three clean sheets, which allowed the club to qualify for the European Cup this fall.

Nikita Khaikin in Bodø-Glimt / Photo: © Soccrates Images / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

“Thank you very much, Nikita Khaikin!”

Before yesterday’s match, Bodø-Glimt was one point away from the championship. It was enough for the Haykin club not to lose to the outsider Ålesund on their home field. The hosts completed the task without any problems, winning with a minimal score. Unfortunately, Nikita missed the match due to a shoulder injury, which he received in the match against Besiktas.

But even being outside the game, Khaikin won the hearts of the fans. He blasted his teammates through the loudspeaker while cheering for his teammates in the fan stands. The reaction was not long in coming. The goalkeeper shared several recordings of his vocal performance.

— Thank you very much, Nikita Khaikin! — thanked robgundersen.

“Nikita Khaikin pays tribute to the club,” user gardlm accompanied the video with the goalkeeper with hearts.

The third championship in four years allowed Bodø-Glimt to rank among the clubs that are legendary by Norwegian standards. In this country, few people manage to dominate for several years. Only Fredrikstad in the 50s, Viking in the 70s, Molde in the early 2010s, and Rosenborg in their heyday can boast such successes.