Igor Simutenkov

Igor Vitalyevich Simutenkov (born April 3, 1973 in Moscow) is a Russian soccer player, who currently plays for Dynamo Voronezh.

Simutenkov started his pro career in the old Soviet league with Dynamo Moscow in 1990. He spent the next five years with Dynamo, the last three in the Russian league, which he led in scoring with 21 goals in 1994. A transfer to Serie A's Reggiana followed, and Simutenkov spent the next five seasons in Italy (the last with Bologna), scoring a total of only 23 goals.

In 1999, Simutenkov transferred to Spanish club Tenerife, and spent three uneventful seasons there. He signed with the Kansas City Wizards in 2002, becoming Major League Soccer's first Russian player. Igor scored four goals in his first season (plus one in playoffs), seven in his second (plus two in playoffs), before missing a big chunk of the third with an injury, ending with a solitary goal in league play. He scored the golden goal in the final of the 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, but was released by the Wizards following the 2004 season, at which time he returned to Russia and signed with Rubin.

At the end of season 2005, while made only 3 appearances for Rubin, Simutenkov declared his retirement from professional football. He told that he couldn't perform at the high level because of a few serious permanent injuries. [http://sport.gazeta.ru/sport/2005/12/12_n_495300.shtml] However, in 2006 he was included in the squad of Dynamo Voronezh, a Second Division side. [http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?120099]

Simutenkov has scored nine goals in 20 caps for the Russian national team, playing in Euro 96, but his last appearance came in 1998.

Simutenkov is also known for the famous Simutenkov-case in which the European Court of Justice acknowledged the direct effect of the partnership-agreement between the European Communities and Russia. In this judgment Spanish nationality-clauses for non-EU footballers were found in breach with Community law.

Individual honours

* 1994 – Russia's best football player

External links

* [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/simutenkov-intlg.html Igor Simutenkov on RSSSF]