Aleksandr Kerzhakov

Aleksandr Kerzhakov is a striker of Zenit St. Petersburg. He was born on 27 November 1982 in Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia. Goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov is the player’s brother.

The boy started to play football in FC Svetogorets Svetogorsk under the guidance of then head coach Vladimir Kazachyonok.

From 1993, Aleksandr trained in the academy of Zenit.

The young sportsman made his professional start with Svetogorets, where he spent two seasons before transferring to the best club of Saint Petersburg. Kerzhakov managed to clinch a place in the main team of the club almost immediately and got on the list of top 33 Russian players in 2001, retaining his position during five following years. Aleksandr won the bronze medal of the Russian Premier League in his début season.

One year later, Kerzhakov became the best young player in the league and took part in the 2002 World Cup, hosted by South Korea and Japan. In 2003 the footballer strolled to the silver medal of the Russian Premier League. Another year later, the striker amassed 18 goals in league matches during one season and became the top goalscorer. Aleksandr also retained his high status in Euro Cups by netting several really important goals, including a goal against Spanish side Sevilla, which later lodged a bid for the footballer and agreed a deal the following year.

Kerzhakov was not a regular player of Zenit then, but his performance went forward at a steady gait in the Spanish team, as he made encouraging display in his début matches. The footballer contributed greatly to club’s lifting the UEFA Cup in 2006 and was awarded the Honoured Master of Sports title. Besides, Aleksandr propelled his club towards the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España in 2007. However, in the course of time the striker lost his regular place in the starting line-up and was often left out of the roster for games. That was the reason why Kerzhakov decided to return to his native country and join Dynamo Moscow. In 2008 Aleksandr became one of the most prolific strikers of his new club and fired a lot of really important goals.

In January 2010, the footballer returned to Zenit.

The high class of the player is proven by the golden, silver and bronze medals of the Russian Premier League, the Russian Cup and the Russian Super Cup with Zenit, the UEFA Cup, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España with Sevilla and the bronze medal of the RPL with Dynamo Moscow.

Regarding his personal honours, Kerzhakov was the top goalscorer and the best player of the Russian Premier League, a member of Grigory Fedotov and Igor Netto Club, a member of 100 Russian goalscorers club, the best goalscorer in Zenit’s history, the Honoured Master of Sports of the Russian Federation and the Russian Footballer of the Year.