Yuriy Zhirkov: I end my career in the national team – News national teams – Football

There are only three – Igor Akinfeev, Sergei Ignashevich and he, Yuri Zhirkov. Twice in its history the Russian team has withdrawn from the group at the World and European Championships – and that has not stopped there, arranging sensations first. with Holland for Euro 2008, then with Spain at the 2018 World Cup. By the way, the first European trophy of our football, the 2005 UEFA Cup, in the structure of CSKA was taken by the same troika. Three of the legends – now these words can not be afraid.

We speak with one of them the day before his departure for a short vacation. On all non-luxurious South – in Kaliningrad. By the way, at the new local stadium, Yuri was not yet – just by the way, when he was still under construction. And during the World Cup he was busy with more important things – twice in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara and Sochi. And how to know, perhaps, his presence is not a fan, but as an interim player in the quarterfinals, we did not have enough …

– It is very difficult for a football player to watch such matches from the podium. "It's just impossible." You know, when I watched from the bench behind the match with Croatia and that I realized that there was nothing I could do to help the guys, the thought shined: it is better not to look at everything. Learn more about the account changes on the Internet Me, when Mario Fernandez equalized the score, forgot the injury, jumped and jerked with the guys on the field. But then such a pain in Achilles pierced that he could not run. Hardly limped back. As if this shake did not aggravate the trauma. But at that moment you forget everything. We were determined to reach the end of the tournament and please fans, but lost to the lottery. Although they look, I think, better.

Post-game penalties are a matter of luck. With the Spaniards – lucky, with the Croats – no

We knew that Akinfeev at least one penalty shot will be right. I did not doubt it, either because I played with him for a long time at CSKA, then for Anzhi, I did not score in the final of the Russian Cup. Spain took two, with Croatia – one, and was very close to the second. When after the hit of Modrica the ball fell from Igor's hand to the bar, then some incredible trajectory flew into the door, the first time there was the thought that this n & # It's not our day. In the locker room, some guys cried …

– Sergei Ignashevich announced his resignation from football, Alexander Samedov – of the team. Do you stay at least?

– I also decided to end the performance of the national team. There is not enough strength to play at this level. The last injury is another clue. There is no time for family, children. Consider the second summer without a vacation. And after the Confederations Cup, and now we have to return to Zenit and after 50 days on the base to fly to the camp. It's very difficult.

I want to thank everyone with whom I played, all the coaches, our fans and, of course, my family, who persuaded me to stay in the team and play at the World Championships. I am proud to have had the chance to represent my country at two world championships and at the European Championships.

– You again signed the contract with Zenit just before the 2018 World Cup. This contributed to Sergei Semak's arrival? He contacted you?

– I have not had a conversation with him yet. Just from the club received a proposal to extend the contract, I thought and accepted. There was another option, but I decided that it was better to stay at Zenith

– De Krasnodar?

– (After a break.) Yes. [19659004] – The next most important question is how is your foot? How long can you wait on the ground?

– The doctor of the national team (Eduard Bezuglov – note "SE") said that another one and a half or two necessary weeks

– Do I understand correctly that you had this injury in the game with Saudi Arabia, and then it got worse?

– Even earlier. In the control match with Turkey, the ankle was shot. At Achilles, everything happened later. The ankle was sick, I was playing with this pain, and in the end my left leg could not stand it anymore and Achilles was burning. Overload, I guess. And it's not the Achilles, because of that I did not go to Euro-2016. Then the problems were with the right, now with the left

– Is it true that you led the match against Egypt with painkillers?

– Yes. And when the Achilles were already very sick, they had to be replaced at the end of the game. Match with Uruguay missed, but that did not help.

In the game with Spain, you can say, finally finished. I hoped to be able to play completely, even though I had already missed a lot of workout. Even before the match did not stand a hundred percent. But what I could have done.

Croatia – it was already without a chance. He could not walk, he was limping all the time. The pain was strong

– For the final or the match for third place, if Russia arrived there, could have time to recover?

– Which moment of the 2018 World Cup is the most touching?

– When my wife told me how sick my son was before TV (Dima Zhirkov in September will be 10. – "SE" rating). When Aspas broke the last penalty, he knelt, cried and asked God to retake Akinfeev. And when Igor withdrew, his tears ran down a stream and could not stop. When you are told of such moments, you understand why the team plays, and yourself. For the sake of their children, for the sake of the fans.

See what's happening on the streets, remember how you saw the bus from the team show us bad things, and now the thumb is pulled up and smiling. It is worthwhile to continue playing football. Despite traumas.

Igor RABINER
from Moscow.