Russian defender Dmitry Khlestov is a football player with a rich life history, who, despite his age of 46, continues to play on a professional level, although he plays for the Odintsovo club of the Amateur League. At the same time, during his career, the player managed to mark himself as a fantastic game, as well as loud scandals.
The first steps
Russian Dmitry Alekseevich Khlestov was born on January 21, 1971 in Moscow. At school age, he went to the sports school "Change", for which he spoke at the youth level. Soon the talent of a football player was noticed by the capital “Spartak”, in which he ended up in 1989.
For Moscow Spartak
As part of the “red-white” Khlestov Dmitry quickly managed to get close to the base, having played several matches in the framework of the USSR tournaments. And since 1992, has become one of the key players in the defense of the Moscow club. Despite much competition for a place at the base, the defender, thanks to his perseverance and skill, regularly appeared in the starting lineup and even played twice in the UEFA Cup winners' cup, contributing to the victory of Spartak over the Dutch Feyenord. In the same season, Khlestov became the champion of Russia and began to be called up to the main national team of Russia.
The following season, Dmitry Khlestov took part in 17 championship matches, becoming the two-time champion of Russia, as well as celebrating his debut goal for Spartak, scoring Lokomotiv in the capital's derby. In the same year, the defender brought to his piggy bank and a goal in the Champions League - in the game against the Polish “Lech”, the Russian’s exact blow to the end of the meeting brought the Muscovites a victory - 2: 1.
As a result, Dmitry Khlestov played for the Moscow club for 9 consecutive years in modern history, and also performed for 3 years in Soviet times. During this time, he took part in more than 200 official games, of which 47 took place in European competitions, scoring 6 goals - 2 in the Champions League, and became the seven-time champion of Russia, having won the country's Cup three times and in 1993 celebrated his victory in the Champions Cup the community.
Business trip to Turkey
In the summer of 2000, unexpectedly for many fans of the “red-white”, Dmitry Khlestov signed a contract with the Turkish “Besiktas”. There, despite the difficulties, the defender felt comfortable and played two seasons in Turkey. As part of the “black eagles”, the Russian took part in only 24 games, marking one goal, and, despite the lack of titles won, brought a lot of benefit to the team, including in the Champions League qualification. And in 2004, exactly two years later, the defender returned to his home club.
Moving
However, the return to Spartak was not so rosy - only 7 matches in half the season and a rare hit in the starting lineup forced Dmitry in January 2003 to sign a contract with another metropolitan club Torpedo-Metallurg. The position in the new team did not suit the player, and a year later he moved to the First Division team - the Saratov “Falcon”.
The first season for the team from Saratov Dmitry Khlestov was successful - regularly appearing on the field, the player helped the club win the bronze championship. However, the next year, due to minor injuries, the defender lost his place at the base and in the beginning of 2006 left for the Second Division team - Shchelkovsky “Spartak”. As part of the second “red-white” club in his career, Khlestov played three seasons, regularly showing a high level of play. However, the Russians failed to achieve a result in the championship with Spartak, and at the end of 2008 the player announced the completion of his professional career as a football player.
Amateur league
But, despite his statement, Dmitry Khlestov did not part with football - already in 2009 he joined the team of the Amateur Football League Olympus-Skopa, after which another 7 amateur clubs followed. The last of them was Odintsovo, Moscow Region, for which the footballer is still playing.
Participation in the national team
Since 1992, Dmitry Khlestov was regularly called up to the national team, until the end of 2002. At the same time, the beginning of his career in the team was somewhat scandalous. The reason for this was the famous “Letter of Fourteen”, in which the players of the national team demanded to change the current coach Pavel Sadyrin to Anatoly Byshovets. Together with Khlestov, another 13 people put their signature in the letter, most of which after that did not fall into the national team. For 10 years, Dmitry took part in 52 meetings as part of the national team, including three in the 1994 World Cup.
Personal life
Despite the constant involvement in football, in his free time from the game and training, the player is difficult to meet at the stadium or in the sports bar. Khlestov Dmitry, whose family consists of three people, is trying to spend more time at home with his wife Julia and daughter Ulyana, who is now actively engaged in ballet. Dmitry met his wife back in the early 90s, by chance meeting in a train. At the first date, Khlestov invited Julia to a football match at the stadium, after which, according to him, he had never been as a spectator of the meeting.