Igor Smolnikov is an active Russian footballer, defender of the St. Petersburg Zenit and the national team of Russia.
Dossier
Smolnikov Igor Alexandrovich was born on August 8, 1988 in the city of Kamensk-Uralsky, Sverdlovsk Region (USSR). Russian citizen. The playing position on the football field is the defender / midfielder. Achievements - winner of the Russian championship in 2015 and winner of the country's Super Cup of the same year. Height 179 cm, weight 71 kg. Married. The wife's name is Catherine.
Club career
Igor Smolnikov began his football career with performances as part of the Moscow Torpedo in 2006. Currently protects the colors of the Zenit club. At the highest football level, he played 240 matches, in which he scored 14 goals.
- 2006 - 2007 - “Torpedo” (Moscow), 30/2;
- 2008 - 2012 - Lokomotiv (Moscow), 17/0;
- 2009 - Ural (Yekaterinburg), 12/0;
- 2009 - Chita, 15/2;
- 2011 - 2012 - “Pearl - Sochi”, 18/1;
- 2011 - 2012 - Rostov (Rostov-on-Don), 23/1;
- 2012 - 2013 - Krasnodar, 30/0;
- 2013 - present - Zenit (St. Petersburg), 58/8.
National team
In 2007 - 2009, Igor Smolnikov was involved in the youth national teams of Russia (U-19, U-21). During this period he played 4 matches. In 2007, he participated in the final stage of the European Youth Championship (U-19). Since 2013, he began to play for the main national team of the country. The debut match was held on November 19, 2013 against the South Korean national team. While on his account 10 matches played.
Stages of the football path
Igor Smolnikov is a pupil of the Lokomotiv football club. However, for the first time he declared himself, speaking in the Moscow Torpedo team. The explosive, tenacious and annoying defender was quickly picked up by pencil scouts of some Russian clubs. Igor himself was considered a player of Lokomotiv, and the railroad workers were in no hurry to sell the young football player. And to acquire full-fledged gaming practice, he was leased to the Sverdlovsk club "Ural".
But there he did not work out. After only 12 fights, he joined the Chita team as a rented footballer. Here Igor performed for four months, after which he returned to Moscow. Having played several matches of the championship of Russia in the “railroad”, he moved to the club “Rostov”, which needed a good left-back, able to conduct offensive actions. Here Igor Smolnikov for the first time became a football player of the main team, an indispensable defense player. But he spent the 2012/2013 season at the Krasnodar club. Igor managed to play 30 fights for this team.
Summing up the intermediate results of the player’s performance, it can be argued that he did not succeed, having changed several clubs, to convince the Lokomotiv leadership of his professional suitability. On the other hand, he gained experience of playing and playing practice in various competitive tournaments, including performances for the youth and youth national team of Russia.
The next stage in the player’s football career began on August 13, 2013. On this day, an agreement was signed between the leadership of “Krasnodar” and “Zenith” on Igor’s transfer to the club from St. Petersburg.
The amount paid for the transition amounted to $ 6 million. Moreover, the clause was indicated in the contract where the possibility of increasing the total amount of payments to the previous team was indicated, depending on the future results of the football player’s performances. As a result, Krasnodar received money, and Zenit - one of the best young defenders of the Premier League, which is currently Igor Smolnikov.
“Zenith” has not yet disclosed the time period of the contract of the football player, but Luciano Spaletti , the head coach of the team, does not regret acquiring the player. Igor played his debut meeting for Zenit on August 17, 2013. The fight took place as part of the Russian championship against the Anji team.
Already on August 20, the footballer also played his first European Cup match, which came in the Champions League tournament (playoff round) with the Portuguese club Pasus de Ferreira. Igor Smolnikov, a football player who was not previously highly successful, has already managed to score 7 goals for the St. Petersburg club.
In conclusion, let's say a few words about the marital status of the player. He is a man leading a calm, measured life, and, accordingly, long married. The wife of Igor Smolnikov, Catherine gave him two sons. Spouses live in St. Petersburg. Perhaps they still know life abroad if Igor is ever invited to a foreign club. But for now, he is a Zenit player and is not going to leave anywhere.