They say that the first Russian football player who said out loud about himself that he was a star was Valery Voronin. And this is symbolic in its own way, since the period of Voronin's performances in the Soviet team of the sixties accounted for almost all of our successes. More precisely, they came. Now new ones have arrived. With new stars
The image of a star does not always imply an example to follow in everyday life. And the image of the Russian football star - even more so. Andrei Arshavin ceased to be the captain of Zenit last spring, when an indifferent security camera recorded his return to the hotel on the eve of the match against Spartak at six in the morning. Our native coach, by the way, such a kooky leader might have forgiven, but Dick Advocaat took the incident seriously in Dutch and not only deprived Arshavin of his coveted bandage, but also transferred him to the reserve team for a week, in football - double. But during the exile period it turned out that it was better for Andrey to lead the St. Petersburg attack anyway no one learned (“Spartak” then lost a lot), and the star was soon amnestied through a hefty fine. And with her - and two more late returnees. A star - she leads the team in everything.
Brawler
Yes, and on the football field, Arshavin sometimes behaves not very nicely: he stopped being the captain of the national team after he brushed aside last fall (at the very time when the Croats beat the British, giving us a ticket to the Euro) from an amateur football player, a citizen of the country of Andorra . This postman, who kicks the ball three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, strictly after delivering letters, from seventeen thirty to nineteen hours and never stays after class to work individually, of course, bothered Andrey for all 89 minutes of that match, the most miserable of those spent under Hiddink, constant hooks and tucks, but it was still not the most compelling reason to drive an elbow into his jaw on the 90th and get two matches of disqualification with serving a sentence at the European Championships. (The Swedes, by the way, wanted to insist on three games, but then changed their minds, which they probably regret very bitterly now.) That is, Andrey Arshavin is a real Russian star who doesn’t care about anything. When Hiddink was asked if he had any thoughts not to take on the Euro brawler, who in the first two games (and in the third, after all, in a certain scenario, his participation might not be needed from the tournament point of view) will not be able to help the team in any way, the Dutchman replied that this guy would work his “after the vacation” - you'll see! And we saw...
Father
It is customary to rush about with a star - well, that's how it happened, at least with us. And the coach of the Russian national team for physical training, Raymond Verhein, is developing a special program for Arshavin, so that the football player who has not played for a month will approach the desired match in optimal shape. When Arshavin is asked how such a long downtime will affect his condition, he recalls with pleasure the UEFA Cup final: “This is when we suffered for a long time with these Scots, and then I gave two brilliant passes, and I was recognized as the best player in the case, do you think , have I been playing worse since then?” And you won't mind: the passes were really amazing, and this Cup is now registered in St. Petersburg for a year.
And when Zenit was hosted by the president of the whole country on the occasion of such success, Arshavin came with a child. The President asked who this little boy could grow into - a football player? Andrei replied that he did not know yet. But in Arshavin? Medvedev asked again. And for this, said Arshavin-papa, he doesn’t even need to grow up - he is already Arshavin by birth. The President had to agree.
Beneficiary
Andrei Arshavin is also the highest paid player in our football, a person earns under three million euros. In year. But at the same time, he never sits down to play cards for money - at least with partners, and even with those bosom friends with whom they then briefly, but unsuccessfully, were distracted before the game with Spartak. I play, he says, for physical exercises - push-ups, squats, etc. And more often I lose, but I become healthier. And that he, indeed, is out of the game for a month! To see how he entered the field with the Swedes - even the break went to the benefit. Zineddin Zidane himself said that "the Russian" ten "has magic legs." And Dick Advocaat, who amnestied Andrei at the club, said that he "represents the demand for Arshavin now in Europe, but does not represent his team without Andrei." And Konstantin Sarsania, consultant of the Lawyer for the sale and purchase, said that in the day that passed after the game with Holland, so many proposals fell into the club's office that only five of them were recognized as serious.
The minimum price of Arshavin for some time now is 15 million Euros. Of the other currencies, Zenit-Gazprom is ready to consider only British pounds.
Star
And everything would be fine if only the second match with the Spaniards (and for him - the first) Andrey pulled out for the team, and at the same time for the country. For him, who has been a fan of Barcelona since childhood (and dreams of playing in it), the first serious test for getting used to the Spanish championship was not very good: “In the first match, without me, we looked even better. And today they did not bring the Spaniards almost no problems. Maybe I didn’t move much or didn’t open well? But it's probably better to be disappointed in one match than in the whole tournament. And so - the semi-finals, the result is worthy, and most importantly - well-deserved. And who is now going to seriously argue with the star? ..
Andrey Arshavin
Born May 29, 1981 in Leningrad. Started playing football at the age of 7. A graduate of the football school "Change" (coaches V. Vinogradov and S. Gordeev). Since 1999, he has played for the reserve team of FC Zenit. In 2000, Andrey became a player of the main team, making his debut in an away match of the Intertoto Cup against Bradford, England (3:0).
Awards and achievements
2001 - bronze medalist of the Russian Championship
2003 - vice-champion of Russia
2006 - prizes "Best Footballer of Russia" and "Leader of the National Team"
2007 - champion of Russia. Laureate of the competition "Star" of the newspaper "Sport-Express"
