The oldest scorer in the history of the Russian championships, striker Sergei Natalushko said that he continues to play football at 61 because of his sports lifestyle.

“It’s just the way I live. I will not play – I will run, swim, move somehow. Now, though, it’s hard. After being vaccinated against covid last year, the joints on my legs began to hurt more – I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or not. Sometimes they fail at the right moment.

When was the last time you took to the field? Three days ago I went to the championship of Russia among veterans 60+, I played for the team of Chuvashia. Before that, there were two intense games – for the championship of the region and for the city. Three matches on synthetics in a week. I didn’t calculate my strength. The muscles could not stand it – tore the back of the thigh. Still, age is taking its toll. Now three weeks to rest. Swim more – the Volga is a 10-minute walk from me. This year, he only scored on the city. But for the region so far. True, and spent only 3-4 games there. And the level is a little different, not veteran.

Almost all partners are suitable for grandchildren! I play for the region not for Kamyshin, but for my native Nikolaevsk, a small regional center, it is located on the other side of the Volga. So there 60-70 percent are boys aged 17-19. Not to say that the level is directly professional, but they are corny healthier, faster than me. I worked there as a coach for eight years, and then the leaders asked: “Help me.” It seems to me that I’m not helping much anymore, but they say: it’s normal, ”Championship” quotes Natalushko as saying.

Natalushko played for Kamyshinsky “Tekstilshchik” and “Saturn” near Moscow. In 2000, playing for Saturn, he became the oldest goal scorer in the history of the Russian Championship – 39 years 247 days.