Not so long ago, the coaching staff of the Russian national football team announced a list of players called up for the next two friendly matches with Lithuania and France. The goalkeeper position caused the greatest talk: firstly, four goalkeepers were summoned to these two matches at once (usually they call no more than three), and secondly, there were two newcomers among them. If the naturalized Brazilian Guillerme is familiar to most fans of domestic football in his appearances for the Moscow Lokomotiv, many will hear the name of the second debutant for the first time. This is Stanislav Kritsyuk. The footballer rented by Krasnodar from the Portuguese Braga is happy to return to his homeland and, judging by his first matches in the Premier League, intends to impose serious competition on the first number of the national team.
The beginning of the career of Kritsyuk
Stanislav Vasilyevich Kritsyuk was born on December 1, 1990 in the city of Tolyatti. He began to take his first steps in football at the Football Academy named after Yu. Konopleva, whose other famous graduates were Alan Dzagoev, Arthur Yusupov, Roman Zobnin and others. Stanislav’s debut in professional football took place in 2008 as part of the Academy (Dimitrovgrad), which at that time played in the second division (by rank it is the third division in Russian football).
The next five years, Stanislav Kritsyuk spent in various Togliatti teams that did not rise above the second division.
In 2013, the transition to the career of Stanislav took place in the Portuguese football club Braga (from the city of the same name). In this he was helped by the agency D-Sports, with whom Kritsyuk collaborated. After a successful viewing, the footballer signed a contract with the Portuguese team.
Performance in Portugal and return to Russia
In the main composition of “Braga” Kritsyuk did not immediately break through. The first half of the 2013-2014 season, he played for the second team of “Braga”, and then was sent to rent in “Rio Ava”. For the club from the city of Vila do Condi, who played at that time in the major Portuguese league, Stanislav had only one match.
That summer, Stanislav Kritsyuk returned to Braga and in August 2014 finally made his debut for the main team. Kritsyuk did not become a solid first number that season, but he regularly played in the Portuguese Cup. In the sixteenth final of the Braga Cup, with the participation of Kritsyuk, she passed the Lisbon Benfica, one of the leaders of Portuguese football. Subsequently, the team reached the finals, where in the penalty shoot-out they lost to the other Lisbon team - Sporting.
In the 2015-2016 season, Kritsyuk took over as the main goalkeeper for Braga, but in January of the sixteenth year he was rented by the Russian club Krasnodar. The lease terms provide for the option of redemption.
Personal life and hobbies
In Portugal, Kritsyuk was supported by his girlfriend, who moved to him from Togliatti.
Stanislav is fond of martial arts. Before starting to play football, Kritsyuk went to boxing for some time. At the age of 19, he resumed his training in boxing and has since devoted much free time to them.
By his own admission, Kritsyuk prefers traveling at home with his beloved when traveling.
The opinion of football experts about Kritsyuk
A well-known footballer in the past, and now the Krasnodar coach Andrei Tikhonov is sure that Stanislav Kritsyuk is quite consistent with the level of the Russian team. In his opinion, Stanislav benefited from a business trip to Portugal, where he managed to become one of the best goalkeepers of the league: after playing in Europe, the footballer had the mentality of a true professional. Tikhonov believes that Kritsyuk’s lack of experience playing for Russian big clubs is not a problem.
According to Nikolai Pisarev, the head coach of the Russian youth team , during training, Kritsyuk could have recaptured several penalties in a row. Pisarev notes the ability of Stanislav to play on the line.
Stanislav Kritsyuk: performance statistics
Statistics performances Kritsyuk in the second division of the championship of Russia:
- From 2008 to 2009: 18 matches for Tolyatti, 36 goals conceded.
- From 2010 to 2013, Kritsyuk held thirty-nine official matches in the second division for the Togliatti Academy. Missed thirty-six goals.
Statistics of Kritsyuk's performances in Portugal:
- 14 matches for the second team of “Braga” (“Braga B”), 19 goals conceded.
- In the second half of the 2013/14 season - 1 game for Rio Ave, in which one goal was conceded.
- From 2014 to the end of 2015, Stanislav took part in twenty-nine matches for the main team of Braga, in which he conceded eighteen goals.
Statistics in the Premier League:
- For the football club "Krasnodar" Kritsyuk currently played two matches, both of them dry.
Kritsyuk also noted performances for the youth teams of Russia. In 2013, the football player played at the European Youth Championship. In total, for the junior national teams, Kritsyuk took part in 15 matches.
The main achievement of Stanislav Kritsyuk: the finalist of the Portuguese Cup (14/15).