Igor Akinfeev is a football player, a permanent guard of the gates not only in CSKA, but also in the national team. Throughout his career, he played for only one club. Igor is the team captain. He began to play for the national team since 2004. In 2016, he tried on the captain's armband in the national team. In 2005 he became an Honored Master of Sports.
Igor Akinfeev's date of birth is April 8, 1986. The future goalkeeper of the “army” and the national team in the suburbs was born. Igor Akinfeev's father worked as a driver. Mom was engaged in raising children, working in kindergarten. Another child was brought up in the family - Eugene. The first training took place when the child was 4 years old. His father took Igor to school at CSKA. The future goalkeeper of the national team was the youngest “student”. But at the same time, he immediately declared his desire to become a goalkeeper. Coached children by Desiderius Kovacs. He praised Igor’s abilities quite high, saying that he would make a great goalkeeper.
At the age of 7, Igor continued his career at the army school for children and youth. At the same time, he did not quit studying at a regular school, skipping only physical education lessons, as afraid to get hurt. There was simply no time left for other hobbies and games. A year later, the first training camp took place in Chernogolovka. Training took place in difficult conditions. Work was required even in the rain. But the guy did not complain. In addition, he himself erased his uniform, which greatly affected not only the coaching staff, but also his parents. The first games in Igor’s career took place when he was only 10 years old.
Sports career achievements
Igor’s career has developed brilliantly. A huge role in success was played by such qualities as an excellent play with legs, good reaction and confidence in one's abilities. Already in 2002, the first medals were won. As part of the “army” became the champion of Russia.
A year later, a debut for the adult team. Defended the gate in the match against the “Zenith”. He went out during the match in the ⅛ final of the Russian Cup instead of Kramarenko. He successfully defended the gates, showing miracles of reaction and calm, even in the most dangerous moments. After some time, he defended the gate from the players of the Wings of the Soviets team. In his first match he had to hit a penalty. He coped with this task successfully. His successful actions won the love of the fans.
The general mood spoiled participation in Eurocups. The team went against the “Vardara” and lost, having missed two goals. The goalkeeper game was subsequently commented by Rinat Dasaev. According to him, Igor played perfectly and is not to blame for the goals conceded.
In 2003, Igor first played as part of the Olympic team. Matches cannot be called successful. The national team lost both Ireland and Switzerland. But no one even had any complaints against Igor. In 2004, he broke another record. He became the youngest goalkeeper in the history of the national team. To defend the gate in his debut match, he stood at number 35.
As the main goalkeeper of the “army” Igor began to enter the field, playing in the match of an avid rival “Spartacus” for the Super Bowl. He only missed once, and his teammates scored three times on goal.
Were in career and removal. It happened in the match against “Wings of the Soviets”. Almost at the very end of the match he was removed. The fight was started by rival player Koroman. After a goal against Akinfeev, Ognen ran and hit the ball, which bounced off the net. As a result, the ball hit the goalkeeper of CSKA in the face. It was this moment that provoked the brawl. Igor was not only removed from the field. Subsequently, he was disqualified for 5 matches. However, this did not prevent to become the best goalkeeper in Russia.
Eurocups and injury
In 2004, Igor first played in the Champions League. In the debut match, “CSKA” opposed the team “Neftchi”. As a result of two meetings, Igor did not concede a single goal. Then the team went through the Scottish Rangers. CSKA got into the group, but could not get out of it, taking the third position, so they got into another tournament - the UEFA Cup. The 2005 season brought great success not only to Igor, but to the whole team. “CSKA” won the UEFA Cup, beating in the fight for the first line of “Sporting”.
Successful and subsequent years. Igor for 362 minutes left the gates of his team “dry”. After that, the goalkeeper was called the most promising goalkeeper. In 2007, there were rumors of interest from English clubs. But Igor himself stopped these conversations, saying that in the next few years he was definitely not going to leave CSKA.
In 2007, a serious injury was received. Beating the ball after a free-kick in the game against the Rostov team, it didn’t quite successfully land. As a result, cruciate ligaments were torn. Doctors said that Igor would have to be treated before the end of the season, and he certainly would not appear on the field. However, the goalkeeper showed character and returned to the field in the 29th round.
Two years later, several events happened at once. Not the most pleasant - the 100th goal in his career was missed. However, subsequently Igor became one of the five best goalkeepers in the world.
Failures and new successes
In 2011, “CSKA” became five-time owners of the Russian Cup. In the match against Spartak, Igor again gets a serious injury during a junction with striker Welliton. It turned out that the cruciate ligaments were again torn. In September, he went to surgery, and in February he was already actively training. But again he could defend the goal only in April.
In 2014, the record of Lev Yashin was broken. Igor Akinfeev did not miss in 203 matches. On the same day, the team won another championship. Success was accompanied in the games of the team. In 2012, he celebrated 174 dry matches. In the game against Azerbaijan, it reached a record high of 708 minutes without a goal conceded. The dry run was interrupted in a match against the Portuguese. As a result, the dry run was 761 minutes. There were annoying misses against the national team of the Republic of Korea, Belgium and Algeria.
Another trouble happened with Igor in the match against Montenegro. From the fans, a fire came into it. Igor received severe burns and a concussion. At the 40th second he was carried away from the field on a stretcher. The match itself was interrupted in the second half. After that, Igor played with varying success. There were brilliant salvations (for example, in a match against England, "and mistakes (against Mexico).
The home championship for Igor and the whole team was successful. Following three matches, he conceded 4 goals. And 1 - from the penalty spot, and 3 - against Uruguay in the match, which did not play any role. At the same time, the Russian team played in the minority. In ⅛ the team played with Spain. The hero of the match was Igor Akinfeev, who successfully repelled all the attacks of the Spaniards. The winner was identified only by a penalty shootout. Igor again showed miracles of reaction, having beaten off 2 penalties. The Russian team went further, and Igor’s salvation after the strike of Iago Aspas was recognized as “the moment of the day”.
He also showed a lightning reaction in the match against the Croats, reflecting one hit from the penalty spot. However, the mistakes of teammates did not allow Russia to advance to the semifinals.
Season 17/18
In the period from 2017 to 2018, the anti-record series in the European Cup battles was finally interrupted. Igor defended the gate in several matches in the qualifying rounds. Then there was 1 more match in the group, in which the rivals were not able to hit Akinfeev's goal. Following the results of 6 matches, “CSKA” entered the Europa League. Igor successfully defended the goal in 2 more matches.
In the same season, the famous goalkeeper won a new victory. Igor became the champion in the number of victories over an avid rival - “Spartak”. In August, due to another injury, he missed a couple of games. Playing against the “Locomotive” successfully repelled a penalty. This salvation turned out to be the 20th in the biography of a brilliant goalkeeper. In the Europa League, the team successfully reached ¼. In the Premier League was “selected” 2nd place at “Spartacus”.
