Who is Alexander Mostovoy dating? Alexander Mostovoy, football player: biography, personal life, sporting achievements. “I couldn’t imagine that I would be a football player”

Alexander Mostovoy: even now I receive offers

The name of Alexander Mostovoy has not left the pages of sports newspapers and magazines for more than a decade. According to many experts, and not only domestic ones, it was Mostovoy long years was the personification Russian football in Europe.

The name of Alexander Mostovoy has not left the pages of sports newspapers and magazines for more than a decade. According to many experts, and not only domestic ones, it was Mostovoy who for many years was the personification of Russian football in Europe. However, after known history, which happened in the summer of 2004 in Portugal during the continental championship, the career of this player went, as they say, awry. Taking a break, Alexander took a break from football for some time, last spring he unexpectedly appeared in the Spanish Alaves, and two months later he also unexpectedly left this modest team. As it turned out later, Mostovoy parted ways not only with the club, but also with his playing career.

- Alexander, we haven’t heard much about you lately. What do you do after completion? football career?
- I agree, after finishing my career, interest in me from newspapers and television dropped somewhat. But this is a normal phenomenon, I am not the first and not the last athlete to encounter this. What am I doing now? So far, nothing, one might say, I’m relaxing, traveling a lot, spending most of my time in Spain, but I’m also often in Moscow.

- Aren’t you upset that parting with football turned out to be somewhat mundane?
- You know, on the one hand, it seems offensive, but on the other, it’s impossible to change anything.

- There is no desire to arrange farewell match?
- It’s also difficult for me to answer this question unambiguously. In Russia I for a long time did not live, played only in the Union Championship, after which he left for the West. Yes, there was a national team, but in any case, fans recognize more those players who play in front of their eyes. At the same time, when I was a player in the Russian national team, the team did not achieve much success, although, as I believe, it was capable of it. In Spain, by the way, at one time I was offered to hold a similar match. After all, he gave so many years to Celta, helping them achieve the greatest results in the club’s history. In Vigo they still remember and love me. However, my parting with Celta still left an unpleasant aftertaste. I mean problems with the club's management, who did not want to fully comply with the terms of the contract.

Due to financial problems, in fact, I left Celta, although, of course, I did not intend to part with the team in this way. When I played for this team, I was repeatedly offered a lavish farewell, and then given a job in some capacity at the club. The same leadership has repeatedly stated: “Mostovoy - best player"Celta", captain and team leader. Even after the player’s career ends, we are ready to keep him at the club.”

However, as soon as financial problems began, no one remembered this except the fans.

Maybe it’s worth trying to hold such a match in Russia then? Moreover, together with you, Karpin, Nikiforov and Onopko left football almost simultaneously.
- That, of course, would be wonderful. And if anyone comes up with such an idea, we will be only too happy to help organize the match. However, such events are still a novelty for Russia.

On the other hand, a farewell match is more appropriate for players who have played their entire career for one club or have achieved outstanding success.

- Do you regret that you decided to end your career rather than accept one of the offers?
- To be honest, now that enough time has passed, I began to regret that I ended my career. I had offers from clubs, and quite solid ones, both before the European Championship and after. However, after that famous story that happened in Portugal, for a long time I not only didn’t want to think about football, but I couldn’t even see the ball. By the time my interest in the game returned, the time was already lost. And by football standards, I’m already quite old. However, from time to time I get calls from agents and different clubs - people see that I’m still in normal condition. physical fitness. Even now I have one specific proposal, but I don’t want to talk about it.

It turns out that the modest Alaves, which played in the Spanish second division in the 2004/05 season, became your last club?
- Yes, that is right. At the same time, I want to say that everything at this club turned out great for me: I was warmly received by the fans, I quickly adapted to the team, but... This is still the second division. Play all your life in the elite, for the national team, be in the public eye, and then suddenly find yourself in the second tier...

When I started comparing football players playing in the first and second divisions, willy-nilly I began to think: “Where have I ended up?” It was because of this that I decided to leave Alaves.

Tell me, what kind of person is the owner of Alaves, Dmitry Peterman? Judging by what is written about him in Spain itself, he is quite an interesting person.
- Peterman is a truly curious person. During his work in Spanish football, he managed to quarrel with almost everyone: with the fans, the mayor's office of Vitoria, the federation, the press, the players.

With all this, during the one and a half to two months that I stayed at Alaves, I did not have any problems with him.

Everything we agreed on was fulfilled. As for the cause of all these conflicts, everything is very clear. Peterman is not a football person, and because of this all sorts of weird things happen to him.

Alexander, rest is rest, but probably soon you will have to decide on your future. What are you planning to do?
- Of course, I would like to stay in football. It would be stupid to do anything else if my whole life, starting from the age of five, was connected with football, in which, without false modesty, I know a lot, down to the smallest detail. However, the question immediately arises: how to stay in football, in what capacity?

I don’t think it’s entirely right to knock people around and ask to hire me. Hoping for some kind of offer from the outside? You know, I'm not such a naive person.

- Have you ever thought about completing a coaching course and getting a license to work?
- Coaching courses are, of course, necessary. Learning something new is never harmful. But there are many examples where people who have never played football coaching activities achieved significant success. So if they achieve success, why can’t former football players who have played for many years repeat this? high level and worked under the supervision of famous specialists?

Can these courses, which, by the way, don’t last that long, really replace that enormous experience? I think it's unlikely.

At one time from Russia to Western clubs A whole generation of football players, with whom we had great hopes, left. Having played in European clubs and gained experience, they could eventually bring something new to our football as coaches. However, years go by, but no one, except Shalimov, Chernyshov and Yuran, has tried themselves in a new capacity. And those who tried did not achieve much success. Has this generation really become lost for our football?
- So, of course, you might think, but it’s still not so. In order for novice trainers to achieve any success, they need at least some kind of support. Nothing can be achieved overnight, as European experience confirms. For example, in Germany or France, where formerly famous players are actively involved in coaching, trust in novice specialists is much higher. There is no such thing that if you didn’t take your chance, it means coaching work ordered for you. In any case, they get more help and trust than we do.

Can Alexander Borodyuk, recently appointed head coach of the Russian national team, be counted among your generation?
- I think yes. Alexander is a little older than me, but still, for a long time we simultaneously played for the national team and clubs both in the USSR and abroad. I can wish him success in the Russian youth team; he is still a temporary figure in the main team of the country.

By the way, I support RFU decision about his appointment, since Borodyuk has been working in national team. By the way, this is the classic example that I already talked about. After all, Borodyuk was invited to the national team by none other than Gazzaev, who once played on the same team with him. This is the support I spoke about above. If, for example, some Spanish specialist leads our national team and wants to call me as an assistant, I will gladly agree.

Since we are talking about this topic, I would like to know your opinion on inviting a foreign specialist to the Russian national team.
- I can, of course, speak out, but it’s not me who makes the decisions. Yes, perhaps this step will help to qualitatively raise the level of play of our team.

But this does not mean that we do not have specialists who could not do this themselves. For example, I don’t understand why Anatoly Byshovets is not currently working in any club, why he was not considered as a candidate for the post of coach in the Russian national team.

With his work, it seems to me, he has already proven everything to everyone - both in Russia and abroad. And even last year, when after a long break he took charge of Tom, we all witnessed the unexpected transformation of the Siberian team.

Apparently, Guus Hiddink will become the new head coach of the Russian national team. Do you know him, what do you think about the prospects for his work in our country?
- I don’t know him personally, but, of course, I’ve heard a lot about him, I know where and how he worked and what he achieved. And, as far as I know, wherever the Dutchman worked, he achieved results.

Apparently, this is the reason for his invitation to Russia. We can only hope that he will agree to come to us not only for the sake of a big salary, but at least because he sees some prospects for our team.

- How do you assess the prospects of our team?
- In football, the most important thing is not the team’s prospects, but its results. If you remember, at one time they sang our praises too.

However, now Mostovoy, Karpin, Nikiforov, Shalimov and many other players are already called the lost generation. And in terms of talent, I think we were definitely not inferior to the current players of the Russian national team. So there is only one conclusion: you need to play and achieve results, constantly perform in the final stages of the World and European Championships.

The ninth issue of our photo column is dedicated to Alexander Mostovoy- one of the most talented Russian football players of his generation. As part of Spartak, the midfielder became a two-time USSR champion, having worked with two outstanding Spartak coaches at once - Konstantin Ivanovich Beskov And Oleg Ivanovich Romantsev. After a four-year stay at Spartak, Mostovoy defended the colors of many foreign teams - Benfica, Cana, Strasbourg. But the central place in Alexander’s career, of course, is occupied by the Spanish Celta. With this rather modest club, he achieved a lot: for example, in 2003, Mostovoy led the club from Vigo to the Champions League. Moreover, he became the captain of Celta. Under him, this team at times played on equal terms with the giants of Spanish football and sometimes defeated them - with the help of goals and assists from Mostovoy and his partner Valeria Karpina. And Alexander was called in Spain nothing less than Tsar. Is there a lot Russian players received such an honor? The photo history of Mostovoy is in front of you.

My adult football career began with the Krasnaya Presnya team. The head coach there was Oleg Romantsev, and the head of the team was Valery Zhilyaev. I later met both of them at Spartak. Zhilyaev, in essence, was my guardian. In this photo I’m with him and my partner in Krasnaya Presnya and Spartak Dmitry Gradilenko. I remember that Dima often got it from Oleg Ivanovich. He was a defender and handled the ball worse than me. Romantsev kept pushing him: “Dima, how can you, being five meters from your partner, give an inaccurate pass?” And Zhilyaev was imbued with special warmth towards me. Perhaps due to the fact that I was not born in Moscow. Then this difference was especially felt.

Germany. I pose for some German photographer in the hotel where Spartak lived during the traditional winter tournament in mini-football.

Season 1989. Oleg Ivanovich Romantsev thanks me for the game. I believe that I succeeded as a player thanks to him. He saw potential in me and gave me a chance. I remember Oleg Ivanovich as a man who respected the players.

Luzhniki Stadium. “Spartak” after the “golden” match with “Dynamo” (Kyiv). We won that match with a score of 2:1, and the decisive goal was scored from a free kick Valery Shmarov. In the photo from left to right: team leader Valery Zhilyaev, Cherchesov, Pozdnyakov, Main coach Oleg Romantsev, Bazulev, doctor Yuri Vasilkov, Rodionov, Pasulko, trainer Victor Zernov, massage therapist Gennady Belenky, Andrey Ivanov, Susloparov, Kulkov(top row), team administrator Alexander Khadzhi, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Cherenkov, Morozov, Shmarov, I , Shalimov, Prudnikov(bottom row).

With Valery Karpin (left) and joker Igor Shalimov (right). Both of them, curiously, were born on the same day - February 2, 1969. Many people jokingly called Shalimov a clown. He was funny on the surface. Skinny, with long curly hair. Not a single funny story was complete without Igor - at the base or on the bus. Everyone knew: where he was, there was always laughter. Shalimov was my closest friend from Spartak times. Although, because of my decision to go to the World Championships in the USA, he and I had a big fight, and for some period life separated us. And now we communicate again and maintain friendly relations.

The first call to the national team took place in 1990. During his career, he managed to play for three of our teams - the USSR, the CIS, and Russia. In total, he played for the national team for 14 years. But if in club career I revealed myself less than 80 percent, but in the national team - maximum 50 percent.

USSR national team training. In the photo with peers - Andrey Chernyshov, Igor Shalimov and Vasily Kulkov.

Moscow. Luzhniki Stadium. First match of the 1/4 finals of the Cup European champions between Spartak and Real. That evening we drew 0:0, and in the return game at the Santiago Bernabeu we won with a score of 3:1 and reached the semi-finals of the main European tournament. It was an unforgettable victory.

Portugal. In a restaurant with Sergei Yuran And Paulo Barbosa, who in the future became famous football agent. Then he worked at Benfica as a translator, and it was he who initiated my invitation to the Portuguese club. By that time, Juran had already been playing for the Lisbon team for a year and was in good standing. I signed a contract with Benfica for four and a half seasons. However, it so happened that in the first six months I was left without football. They managed to sign a contract with me, but not to announce it. My career in Portugal did not work out very well.

Season 1995. Second year with the French Strasbourg. In this club I instantly won the respect of the fans. That honor that he could not achieve in Benfica, even while gnawing on the ground. Although, it would seem that in Portugal there is much more fertile ground for technical players like me. But fate sometimes writes completely unpredictable turns.

Spain. At his house with his father, mother and first-born Alexander. Sasha was born exactly the year I moved to Spain and joined Celta.

Clippings from Spanish newspapers in which they call me Tsar and Soviet Cruyff. By the way, Spanish journalists, when talking about Celta during the Mostovoy era, sometimes used almost scientific terms - such as “Russian dependence” and “Mostocentrism”.

Vigo. Balaidos Stadium. 1/8 finals of the UEFA Cup against Liverpool. Verbal sparring with Jamie Carragher. The first match in Spain ended in a victory for Celta with a score of 3:1, and then Karpin and I scored a goal each. We won the return match at Anfield with a score of 1:0, which allowed us to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament on aggregate.

Base "Bor" near Moscow. We are preparing for one of the decisive games in the qualifying round for the 2000 European Championship - with the Icelandic team. We won that game with a score of 1:0, and Valery Karpin scored the only goal. In the photo from left to right: Shirko, Beschastnykh, Karpin, Yanovsky, Varlamov, Onopko, Khokhlov, Titov, Pagaev(top row), Alenichev, Smertin, Yuran, trainer Mikhail Gershkovich, Main coach Oleg Romantsev, trainer Sergey Pavlov, doctor Yuri Vasilkov, Chugainov, Tsymbalar, me (middle row), Ovchinnikov, Drozdov, Bulatov, Semak, Cherchesov, Khlestov, Tikhonov, Panov, Filimonov(bottom row).

Together with Spartak player Vladimir Beschastnykh we rejoice at the victory of the Russian team. He, like me, spent a lot of time in Spain, where he played for Racing from Santander.

Next to the sculptor and the model of the monument that they were going to erect for me at Celta as a sign of gratitude for the game shown and devotion to the club. But in the end it was never installed in Vigo. Russian fans are thinking of transporting the monument to Russia to install it in one of the cities.

Match with Barcelona. We are sorting things out with Frank de Boer. Games with giants throughout my career have stood apart for me. My big mistake is that I overstayed my welcome at Celta. Although for a long time I was happy with everything in the team.

Lokomotiv Stadium". Qualifying match for the 2004 European Championship. The Russian team met with the Swiss team. That day we beat our opponents with a score of 4:1, and Dmitry Bulykin scored a hat-trick. In the photo from left to right: Victor Onopko, Andrey Solomatin, Dmitry Bulykin, Sergey Ovchinnikov, Sergey Ignashevich, me (top row), Vladislav Radimov, Alexander Kerzhakov, Rolan Gusev, Andrey Karyaka, Alexey Smertin(bottom row).

In Vigo with my parents. I learned sportsmanship and human perseverance from my father. I realized that I should never say: I can’t.

Vigo. With son Sasha and daughter Emma.

Vigo. I rejoice with my teammate after scoring a goal against Barcelona. Then Celta won at home with a score of 1:0, and I provided an assist. Our Brazilian scored the only goal in the match a couple of minutes before the break Edu. In the photo from the opponent's players - Thiago Motta And Carles Puyol.

European Championship in Portugal. Match against the Spanish national team. We lost this match with a score of 1:0, and after that meeting I was expelled from the national team. In the second round, our team played with the hosts of the tournament, the Portuguese, but without me. The match against the Spaniards was my last in the Russian national team jersey.

Portugal. Sunbathing on the beach. In a day I will leave the Russian national team due to a conflict with the team’s head coach Georgy Yartsev. Then his words cut most of all: “Mostovoy is not a football player.” It was necessary to come up with something like this! As a result, he ended his career at the age of 35. I never thought that everything would end so casually.

Photo: From the personal archive of Alexander Mostovoy

Together with a journalist Denis Tselykh in 2009 I published a book. In it, I tried to talk frankly and in detail about the most striking periods of my career.

He played in the teams "Krasnaya Presnya" (M), "Spartak" (M), "Benfica" (Portugal), "Caen" (France), "Strasbourg" (France), "Celta" (Spain). USSR champion 1987 ., winner of the youth European Championship 90, winner of the Portuguese Cup 1993. Great French footballer Michel Platini, in his book Life as a Match, divides all attacking players into three categories. To the first, he includes forward-scorers, like Gerd Müller. The second category consists of midfielders who have pronounced abilities as game organizers, such as Platini’s long-time partner in the French national team of the eighties, Alain Giresse. The third, elite category, according to the author, includes football players who are equally good at starting attacks and finishing them. Such players are the football aristocracy. Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Zico are from this category. And, of course, Platini himself too. Michel gives such football players a very original definition: “one-man orchestra”.

If Platini were now asked to what category he would classify the midfielder of the Spanish “Celta” and the Russian national team Alexander Mostovoy, then we would probably hear: of course, the third, elite. It is interesting that Alexander Mostovoy truly blossomed abroad precisely in his homeland Plitini - in France, while playing for Caen and Strasbourg. French journalists, admiring Alexander's football, often compared him to the great Michel. Indeed, they have a lot in common: they are of the same height, the same, and not at all heroic in build. And the main thing, of course, is that they have a similar style of play: Mostovoy, like Platini, takes excellent free throws, knows how to make an accurate last pass, has unconventional dribbling and scores a lot.

Mostovoy spent three seasons in France, but one was enough for him to declare himself in full voice. The French championship, however, was not the first foreign championship in which he took part. In December 1991, Alexander signed a contract with Lisbon Benfica, where he spent two incomplete seasons. These were the most unsuccessful seasons in his football career.

Few people know, but in the same 1991, Mostovoy practically signed a contract with Bayer Leverkusen. Alexander visited Germany and agreed on the terms of a future agreement with the club’s management. However, in Moscow he was found by Vasily Kulkov, who had already been playing for Benfica in Lisbon for six months along with Sergei Yuran. Mostovoy's partner in Krasnaya Presnya and Spartak invited his friend to fly to visit him in Portugal. It turned out that the management of Benfica became interested in Mostov. After several days of training with the team, he received an offer from the club management to sign a contract. The presence of old acquaintances in Benfica and the club’s big name played a role main role in Alexander's decision.

Choosing between the German and Portuguese clubs, he chose the latter, which he later openly regretted. At first, Mostovoy waited six months until he was announced to participate in the national championship. And when he was finally included in the application, the Swedish specialist Svet-Goran Eriksson (now the coach of the Roman Lazio), who invited Alexander to the team, left Benfica. His place was taken by the famous coach Tomislav Ivic. First of all, he was unable to work with one team for more than three months. Kulkov and Mostovoy did not fit into his playing scheme and were forced to spend most of their time on the bench. Our midfielder began to seriously think about changing the club, and even Ivic’s dismissal did not change his plans. But Mostovoy signed a contract with Benfica for four whole years.

Still, a way out of the situation was found. The management of the French "Caen", unexpectedly for our player, turned to the management of "Benfica" with a request to lease Mostovoy to them until the end of the season. “Caen” was in penultimate place and needed a “joker” - a player who is invited during the season to strengthen the club. Kan's bet on Mostovoy was completely justified. In the first match he scored a goal, and the team won for the first time this season. Thanks to Alexander, Caen left the relegation zone and finished the season in the middle standings. At the end of the championship, Caen coach Jandelou received a lucrative offer from another French club, Strasbourg, and persuaded Mostovoy to join him.

The new team turned out to be a little stronger than the previous one. It is worth noting that the famous Frank Sauzé (winner of the Champions League as part of Olympic) played for her. Mostovoy played two seasons in Strasbourg simply brilliantly, and he was constantly included in all kinds of symbolic teams following the results of the championship. There were also tempting offers from strong French, Spanish and German teams. However, the president of Strasbourg decided to keep Mostovoy on his team at any cost and began to play a double game. He promised Alexander that he was ready to let him join any team for the appropriate amount. But when representatives of clubs interested in acquiring Mostovoy approached the president of Strasbourg with specific proposals, he asked for astronomical sums for Alexander. When there was only a week left before the end of the player application period, representatives of the modest Spanish “Celta” approached Mostovoy and the president of his club. And it was they who unexpectedly managed to come to an agreement with both.

Before the arrival of our footballer, Celta was a club of the level of Caen. The team was mainly solving the problem of survival in the top Spanish league. After Mostovoy arrived, everything changed. Even the giants of Spanish football, Real and Barcelona, ​​immediately began to reckon with Celta. The fans believed in the team, and sponsors began to invest money in it. Following Mostov, others appeared in Celta famous players: Israeli Revivo, Brazilian Mazinho, Frenchman Makelele and our Karpin. With the arrival of these players, Celta started playing spectacular, combinational football. Our compatriots still played and still play the main role in the team. It is not surprising that “Celta” in Spain, and even in Europe, is now called “Russian”. Our players have many offers from more famous and titled clubs. However, Mostovoy is satisfied with almost everything in Vigo: the terms of the contract (which can only be revised in the direction of increasing its amount), and the attitude towards our players from fans and journalists, and the kind of football that Celta plays. The team's goals have never been higher. This is, at a minimum, a place that gives the right to play in the Champions League, and at a maximum, victory in the Spanish Championship. Mostovoy himself, however, believes that it is too early for Celta to fight for the championship. But, in his opinion, the team is quite capable of getting a place in the Champions League.

In the Russian national team, things are not so rosy for Mostovoy. Just a year ago, our national team could not even be imagined without the Celta midfielder. In games with the Ukrainians and French, Mostovoy was the best in the team. He took part in all four goals scored by Byshovets' team in the qualifying round. Before return match with the world champions at the Stade de France, Mostovoy was considered the main hope of Russia. However, already in the middle of the first half he was injured and was replaced. As a result, Alexander had to miss the game with Iceland for the national team and the decisive games for his club in the Spanish Championship. Without Mostovoy, Celta could not get a ticket to the Champions League. Alexander himself ended up on the operating table.

It is no secret that the owners of foreign clubs do not welcome the participation of their players in matches for national teams. After Alexander was injured in a match for the national team at the most inopportune moment for Celta, the club's leaders turned to him with an urgent request not to play for the team anymore. Russian team. However, our midfielder told the Celta management that he has never refused and will never refuse to play for the Russian national team. But the coaches of our team, before the decisive game with the Ukrainian national team, refused the services of Mostovoy, without inviting him to the team meeting. Alexander probably had a hard time experiencing this event in his soul. But, despite everything, he did not refuse to play for the national team in the future.

What is the reason for Mostovoy’s success? After all, many of our talented football players lack only skill to show their potential in a foreign club. In my opinion, there are four reasons. Firstly, Mostovoy very easily and quickly learned the languages ​​of the countries in which he played. Alexander is fluent in Portuguese, French, and Spanish. French In general, he became like family to him, because Alexander’s wife is French.

Secondly, Mostovoy is sure that a football player must always prove his skills with his game, but never with his words. Therefore, he does not quarrel with coaches or conflict with teammates. He just does his job well on the field.

Thirdly, even after the unsuccessful experience with Benfica, he did not stop believing in himself, in the fact that sooner or later his finest hour would come.

And fourthly, Mostovoy is a star only on the football field, but outside of it he is an open, sociable guy who always speaks reservedly about his football merits. Talk about Mostovoy's star fever is meaningless.

In 2004, his contract with Celta expired. In the same year, he was expelled from the Russian national team for criticizing the head coach.

He ended his playing career in 2005, having played only one match for Alaves.

He tried himself in beach soccer, winning silver as part of the national team at its home European Cup in 2005.

Now he can often be seen on TV or heard on the radio, where he acts as a commentator or expresses his opinion about matches and football players.

Master of Sports of International Class (1991).

Biography

Born in the Leningrad region, where his father served in the army. Vladimir Mostovoy met a Leningrad woman and soon married her. When Alexander was 3 years old, the whole family moved to Lobnya near Moscow. There his mother worked as a hairdresser, and his father played football.

Alexander Mostovoy believes that his passion for football was passed on to him from his father, who played as a striker for the Ostankino team near Moscow. He started playing football at the CSKA school, where he traveled from the Moscow region several times a week. The coaches immediately appreciated the talent of the young player and were ready to send him to main team CSKA, but Yuri Morozov refused him. Mostovoy was eventually sent to Krasnaya Presnya to Oleg Romantsev, from where he ended up in Spartak to Konstantin Beskov.

While playing for Spartak, Mostovoy lived at the Spartak base. The roommates were goalkeepers - first Rinat Dasaev, then Stanislav Cherchesov. He got used to the team quite quickly, but for some time he was in the shadow of Fedor Cherenkov. When the latter left for France in 1990, then, as Cherchesov noted, Mostovoy sharply increased his skill.

In 1991, Alexander Mostovoy was supposed to sign a contract with Bayer Leverkusen, but at the last moment the deal fell through, and Mostovoy left for Portugal. Later he admitted that this was the first and most serious mistake in his life. Mostovoy essentially did not play at Benfica, rarely appearing even in the reserves.

When Mostovoy found himself in France in 1993, he had to start earning a name “from scratch.” First he spent a season for Caen, and then 2 seasons in Strasbourg. He achieved his greatest success while playing for Strasbourg.

In July 1996, he signed a contract with Celta for three years. Mostovoy explained the transition from France to Spain by the fact that the president of Strasbourg did not accept his terms of the contract.

In games for the Russian national team, Alexander Mostovoy often showed himself as a leader capable of bringing results. However, it was he who was accused in 1997 of a weak game against the Cyprus national team in a qualifying match for the 1998 World Cup (Mostovoy missed the goal from an advantageous position at the very end of the match). As a result, on decisive matches during the qualifying round, the head coach of the national team, Boris Ignatiev, did not call him.

Mostovoy was part of the Russian national team at the 2002 World Championships, but did not take part in the games due to injury.

At the 2004 European Championships, Mostovoy was expelled from the national team for criticizing head coach Georgy Yartsev.

In 2005, he was a member of the Russian beach soccer team.

Statistics

Mostovoy's matches for the USSR/CIS/Russia national teams

Total: 65 matches / 13 goals; 33 wins, 19 draws, 13 losses.

Achievements

• World Championship participant 1994, 2002
• Participant of the European Championships 1996, 2004
• European Youth Champion 1990
• Winner of the “Best Debutant” prize at the 1987 USSR Championship.
• Awarded the medal “80 years of the State Sports Committee of Russia”
• USSR Champion 1987, 1989
• Intertoto Cup winner: 2000

Family

He was married to a French woman, Stephanie, and has a son, Alexander (born in 1996), and a daughter, Emma.

How the son of Alexander Mostovoy began his journey to professional football

Alexander Mostovoy Jr. volunteered to follow his father’s path and took a decisive step towards starting a professional career, arriving for a tryout at the Spanish Celta.

The son of Alexander Mostovoy in a Celta T-shirt. PHOTO: farodevigo.es

In the photo above is Alexander Mostovoy. Just not the one who became a legend of the Moscow Spartak and who was called the Tsar in Celta Vigo. And that Alexander Mostovoy, who is still only dreaming of all this.

– In Spain, even girls are football fans, let alone boys. But my son is only 10 years old, and it’s too early to get ahead of himself,” Mostovoy Sr. said eight years ago.

Now he is almost as careful, although over the past years his son has been moving towards the desired goal. In an interview with Faro de Vigo, Alexander repeated several times that he does not demand anything from his son and does not set big tasks for him.

- Anything can happen in football. There are a lot of people who want to become professionals. Of course, I want him to achieve everything he dreams of. But if it doesn’t work out, then it’s okay. The main thing is that Sasha stays a good man. There are many other worthy activities in the world besides football.

After leaving Celta, Alexander still had many football acquaintances, including the head of the Celta academy, German Arteta. It was with his help that Alexander managed to get Sasha into the youth team and organize a tryout. There is no talk of signing any serious contracts yet.

In order to somehow distinguish the son from the father, in Spain Mostovoy Jr. is called Sasha. Sasha Mostovoy plays on the right side of midfield. The Spaniards say he has an excellent jerk, and in terms of physical characteristics he is very similar to his father.

Sasha Mostovoy spent the past seasons in the Vazquez Cultural team from Marbella. On July 17, he arrived at Celta's location and began a full training camp, at the end of which it will be decided whether he will be accepted into the club. Most likely this will happen this summer. For now, Sasha’s parents decided to settle him in the apartment in Vigo, where Mostovoy Sr. lived at the peak of his football career: “Let him live alone, gain experience. This should be useful to him in the future.”

“IT’S STILL EARLY TO TALK ABOUT THE RUSSIA TEAM”

Former Russian national team midfielder Alexander Mostovoy talks about his son’s first steps in professional football.

– Sasha went to Celta for a preparatory training camp, so to speak. And officially he plays for Marbella. Or rather, for their youth team, 17–18 years old. And the main one plays in the third division of the Spanish championship.

– What country does your son represent?

- He has a French passport. He was born and lives in France.

– If he receives offers, say from the national teams of France and Russia, will the choice fall on France?

– It’s better not to talk about this for now! He needs to start playing professional football. Thank God if anything comes of it.

– What kind of feedback do you get from Celta about him?

– He's only been there for his second week, so not much has been said about him yet. He trains quietly, so I don’t go there yet. When the time comes, they will tell me everything.

“I would prefer my son to play football at all.” This is the main thing I wish for him, and if he can’t, alas.

– Why Celta?

“This is the team of my life, they knew him there, I didn’t have to persuade anyone in order for Sasha to be taken to the trial.

– What advice did you give him before you sent him to Celta for trial?

“I told him only one thing: “Don’t be afraid of anyone and do everything you can.” You can’t be afraid of football.”

OURS IN SPAIN

Denis Cheryshev, midfielder, 23 years old (Villarreal) – 4 matches in the Spanish Championship.

Anton Shvets, midfielder, 21 years old (Zaragoza) – 1 match in the second division (the second most important division in Spain).

Amir Natkho, defender, 18 years old (Barcelona).

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