Andrei Arshavin

Infobox Football biography
playername = Andrei Arshavin


fullname = Andrei Sergeyevich Arshavin
nickname = Shava
height = height|m=1.72
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1981|5|29
cityofbirth = Leningrad
countryofbirth = USSR
(now Saint Petersburg, Russia)
currentclub = Zenit Saint Petersburg
clubnumber = 10
position = Attacking midfielder, second striker
years = 2000–
clubs = Zenit Saint Petersburg
caps(goals) = 231 (50)
nationalyears = 2002–
nationalteam = Russia
nationalcaps(goals) = 040 (14)
pcupdate = 18 June 2008
ntupdate = October 11, 2008

Andrei Sergeyevich Arshavin (also spelled Andrey) ( _ru. Андрей Сергеевич Аршавин) (born May 29, 1981 in Leningrad) is a Russian international football forward who currently plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg. He is a versatile second striker who can also play as an attacking midfielder and winger. He is best known for his close control, vision, playmaking ability and speed.

Club career

Arshavin graduated from Smena football school. In 1999 and early 2000 he played for Zenit's farm club, Zenit-2, in the Second Division.

In 2000, he was included in the Zenit squad, making his debut in a 3–0 away win over English side Bradford City in the Intertoto Cup. [cite news
url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/10/16/sfnrus116.xml
title= Andrei Arshavin is Russia's artful dodger
first=Jonathan
last=Wilson
date=2007-10-16
accessdate=2008-06-22
publisher=The Daily Telegraph] He played in various positions on the field, starting as a right midfielder, then as an attacking midfielder and finally adopted the second striker's role playing on a flank or behind a target man. He won the Russian Premier League Award for the player of the season largely because of his ability to play well as a winger, playmaker and as a striker.

In the 2007 Russian Premier League season Arshavin guided his Zenit St Petersburg side to the title, starting all 30 matches - scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists along the way. It was the club's first league title since claiming the now defunct Soviet Top League in 1984. He also was a key player during Zenit's 2008 UEFA Cup triumph.

International career

Arshavin debuted for the Russian national team on May 17, 2002 in a match against Belarus. His first goal with the squad came in a friendly match versus Romania on February 13, 2003 and since, he has managed to score in every competition which Russia has participated in. He was Russia's captain in a Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia.

UEFA Euro 2008

Arshavin was included in Russia's Euro 2008 squad by manager Guus Hiddink, despite being unable to play in the first two group matches due to suspension.cite news
title = Arshavin banned for two Russia games
url = http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/news/kind=1/newsid=638098.html
publisher = euro2008.uefa.com
date = 2007-12-13
accessdate = 2008-06-25] He announced his return by setting up the first goal and scoring the second in Russia's final group game against Sweden at Tivoli Neu, Innsbruck, which helped his team qualify for the next round.

In the next match, the quarter-final against the Netherlands, Arshavin repeated the feat with his part in Russia's two goals in the second half of extra time, providing the cross for Dmitri Torbinski's goal and scoring his own four minutes later. Russia consequently reached the semi-finals with a 3–1 victory. For both of these games, UEFA awarded him Man of the Match. Arshavin could not repeat the heroics in the semi-final against eventual winners Spain, which Russia lost 3–0; this led Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, to question whether Arshavin had the physical attributes to play regularly in the Premier League. [cite web | title =Wenger reveals Arshavin doubts | url = http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/06/30/Prem-Wenger-on-Arshavin/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/football/ | publisher = Setanta Sports | date = 2008-06-30 | accessdate = 2008-06-30] Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho reacted to the game by ruling out a bid for Arshavin and then question whether he had the maturity to play in a top league. [cite web | title =Jose has Arshavin doubts | url = http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_3774823,00.html | publisher = Sky Sports | date = 2008-07-04 | accessdate = 2008-07-04] Despite this, Arshavin was named in UEFA's squad for Euro 2008.cite news | title = Spain dominate Team of the Tournament | url = http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/news/kind=1/newsid=729372.html#spain+dominate+team+tournament | publisher = euro200.uefa.com | date = 2008-06-30 | accessdate = 2008-07-01]

tatistics

:"The following table is up to date as of October 5, 2008.

International goals

:"Scores and results list. Russia's goal tally first."

Honours

Club

*flagicon|RUS FC Zenit St. Petersburg
**Russian Premier League Cup: 2003
**Russian Premier League Champion: 2007
**Russian Super Cup: 2008
**UEFA Cup: 2008
**UEFA Super Cup: 2008

Individual

*Russian Footballer of the Year: 2006
*Man of the Match: for his performance in the UEFA Cup final of Zenit versus Rangers (May 14): UEFA Cup 2007–08
*Man of the Match: for his performance in the third Group Stage Game of Russia versus Sweden (June 18): UEFA Euro 2008
*Man of the Match: for his performance in the Quarter-final Game of Russia versus Netherlands (June 21): UEFA Euro 2008
*Euro 2008 Team of the tournament

References

External links

*FIFA player|186795|Andrei Arshavin
* [http://arshavin.eu Official Site of Andrei Arshavin]
* [http://www.fc-zenit.ru/eng/person.phtml?id=9 Profile]
* [http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/rus-recintlp.html Russia - Record International Players] , RSSSF.
* [http://www.andreiarshavin.com Andrei Arshavin News in English]