Yuri Zhirkov facts for kids
Zhirkov with Khimki in 2022
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 20 August 1983 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tambov, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 1.80 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Left-back / left-winger | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | Spartak Tambov | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Spartak Tambov | 74 | (26) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | CSKA Moscow | 139 | (15) | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Chelsea | 29 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Anzhi Makhachkala | 46 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2013–2016 | Dynamo Moscow | 54 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2021 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 95 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | Khimki | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 440 | (51) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Russia U-21 | 9 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2021 | Russia | 105 | (2) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Yuri Valentinovich Zhirkov (born 20 August 1983) is a Russian former footballer. He played as a left-back (a defender on the left side) and as a left-winger (an attacking player on the left side).
Yuri started his football journey at his local club, Spartak Tambov. In 2004, he joined CSKA Moscow, a top team in Russia. He won many trophies with CSKA, both in Russia and in Europe. In 2009, he moved to the famous English club Chelsea for a large fee of £18 million. After two seasons, he returned to Russia, playing for Anzhi Makhachkala, Dynamo Moscow, and Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Zhirkov also played for the Russian national team for many years. He played over 100 games for his country. His great performance at UEFA Euro 2008, where Russia reached the semi-finals, made him famous. He was even named in the "Team of the Tournament." He also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which Russia hosted.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Yuri Zhirkov was born in Tambov, Russia, on 20 August 1983. His family faced tough times when he was growing up. His father worked at a factory, and his mother was a postwoman. Yuri was the second child in his family.
His first football coach was Valery Sharapov. He helped Yuri join the Tambov Regional Children and Youth Sports School. This is where Yuri began to learn and play football seriously.
Club Career Highlights
Yuri Zhirkov began his professional career at Spartak Tambov. He was a winger and scored 26 goals in 74 matches. This impressive start helped him get noticed by bigger clubs.
Playing for CSKA Moscow
In January 2004, Zhirkov joined CSKA Moscow. His first game was in the Russian Super Cup on 7 March 2004. CSKA won 3–1, giving him his first trophy right away! He also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time that year.
One of his biggest achievements with CSKA was winning the UEFA Cup in 2005. In the final match against Sporting CP, Yuri scored a goal in the 65th minute. This goal helped CSKA win 3–1, making them the first Russian club to win the UEFA Cup. He also scored a fantastic goal against Hamburger SV in the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League, which UEFA called the best goal of the competition.
Time at Chelsea
On 6 July 2009, Yuri Zhirkov moved to the English club Chelsea. He signed a four-year contract. The transfer fee was £18 million, which made him the most expensive Russian football player at that time. He even scored in his first friendly game for Chelsea against Milan.
He made his first game in the Premier League in December 2009. When Chelsea's main left-back, Ashley Cole, got injured, Zhirkov stepped up and became the first-choice player in that position. He played very well, especially in a Champions League game against Internazionale. In March 2010, he helped Chelsea win 7–1 against Aston Villa by winning two penalties.
In his first season with Chelsea, the team won both the Premier League and the FA Cup. This was a very successful season for the club. Yuri scored his only goal for Chelsea on 19 October 2010. It was a great volley in a Champions League match against Spartak Moscow.
Returning to Russia
On 14 August 2011, Zhirkov left Chelsea and returned to Russia to play for Anzhi Makhachkala. He signed a four-year contract. He scored his first goal for Anzhi in October 2011. In his last game for Anzhi, in June 2013, they lost the Russian Cup final to his old team, CSKA Moscow, in a penalty shootout.
After Anzhi decided to change their team, Zhirkov moved to Dynamo Moscow in August 2013. He scored three goals in his first season with Dynamo. One of these goals was against his former club, CSKA. In 2014, he scored a late goal for Dynamo in a UEFA Europa League match against PSV, helping his team win 1–0.
In January 2016, Zhirkov signed a two-year contract with Zenit Saint Petersburg. He played for Zenit for several years, winning more trophies.
Later Career and Retirement
On 13 January 2022, Yuri Zhirkov signed a contract with Khimki until the end of the 2021–22 season. He played only three games for Khimki before his contract ended in June 2022.
Yuri Zhirkov officially announced his retirement from playing football on 12 February 2023.
International Career for Russia
Yuri Zhirkov played his first game for the Russian national team on 9 February 2005. It was a friendly match against Italy.
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He was a key player for Russia at UEFA Euro 2008. Russia reached the semi-finals, and Zhirkov's excellent performance earned him a spot in the "Team of the Tournament." He was also nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in October 2008.
Zhirkov played in many major tournaments for Russia. He was part of the squads for Euro 2012, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In 2014, he scored his first goal for Russia in a friendly match against Morocco. He also played in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Even after announcing his retirement from the national team after the 2018 World Cup, he was called up again. On 18 November 2020, he played his 100th match for Russia. He was also part of the squad for UEFA Euro 2020, but an injury in the first game meant he couldn't play in the rest of the tournament.
Personal Life
Family Life
Yuri Zhirkov has a sister and two brothers. His younger brother, Nikolai, also played football for the CSKA Youth Team. Yuri married a Russian model named Inna on 1 February 2008. They have three children: a son named Dmitriy (born 2008), a daughter named Milana (born 2010), and another son (born 2015).
Car Accidents
Yuri Zhirkov has been in two car accidents. The first happened in January 2005 in Tambov. He hit a pole but only had minor injuries because his airbags worked. The second accident was in December 2008 in Kaliningrad, but he was not hurt.
Education
Yuri Zhirkov went to school No. 19. After that, he studied to become an electrical technician and received a diploma. In December 2008, he graduated from Tambov State University.
Career Statistics
International Goals
Yuri Zhirkov scored two goals for the Russian national team during his career.
Russia's score listed first. Score after each Zhirkov goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 June 2014 | Lokomotiv Stadium, Moscow, Russia |  Morocco |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 29 March 2016 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  France |
2–3 | 2–4 | Friendly |
Honours and Awards
Yuri Zhirkov won many trophies and received several awards during his football career:
With CSKA Moscow
- Russian Premier League: 2005, 2006
- Russian Cup: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09
- Russian Super Cup: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009
- UEFA Cup: 2004–05
With Chelsea
- Premier League: 2009–10
- FA Cup: 2009–10
With Zenit Saint Petersburg
- Russian Premier League: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
- Russian Cup: 2015–16, 2019–20
- Russian Super Cup: 2016, 2020
With Russia National Team
- UEFA European Championship bronze medal: 2008
Individual Awards
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2008
- Futbol Footballer of the Year in Russia: 2008
- Russian Premier League Left Winger of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011–12
- Russian Premier League Left-back of the Year: 2018–19, 2019–20
