Alexey Igonin, football biography

Alexei Igonin is a well-known Russian football defender and midfielder. He spent most of his career in St. Petersburg's Zenit and Ramenskoye Saturn. He played for the national team of Russia.

First steps in football

Alexey Igonin was born in Leningrad on March 18, 1976. At an early age, his father gave him to the football school "Zenith", in which he made his first steps to the sport of higher achievements. Even then, for the most part, I decided on my future position on the football field. Alexei was more drawn to destruction than to creation. Therefore, he played as a defender and defensive midfielder throughout his career.

Alexei Igonin started his career in mini-football. In 1993, at the age of 17, he made his debut in the club "Polissya", representing the northern capital. I spent 2 years in this team, but in the end I made a choice in favor of big football.

Career in "Zenith"

In 1995, Alexei Igonin entered the location of the St. Petersburg "Zenith". The team by that time already the third season acted in the First League of the championship of Russia.

It was not possible to gain a foothold at once, so from time to time Igonin was involved in games for the second team of Zenit. In 1995, the year Petrograders finally managed to successfully perform. In 42 games they won 24 wins and, having scored 77 points, took the third place, losing only Kaliningrad "Baltic" and Tolyatti "Lada". In that season, "bronze" of the first league allowed for the next season to compete in the elite division.

In 1996, Alexei Igonin already became a full-fledged player of the base, constantly entering the field in the Premier League matches. "Zenith" in the first for himself after returning to the elite season played unstably. However, the club managed to gain a foothold in the middle of the standings. Having won 13 games out of 34, the team scored 43 points and took 10th place.

First trophy

The first victory at the club level came to Igonin in 1999. "Zenith" in that season successfully performed in the Cup of the country. Although at first everything was not easy. In the 1/16 finals, the rivals got Saratov's "Falcon". However, to cope with the team of the first league in regular time failed, the meeting ended in a draw 2: 2. And only in the series of post-match penalties brilliant game Roman Berezovsky brought a confident victory 4: 1.

In the 1/8 finals, Sochi's "Pearl" was defeated at home - 4: 1, and "Rostselmash" beat 2: 0 in 1/4 of the final.

In the match for the final of the cup "Zenith" met with CSKA. The fate of the meeting was decided by the only goal scored by Gennady Popovich in the end.

In the final, Alexei Igonin appeared on the field in the starting lineup. "Zenith" was opposed by the Moscow "Dynamo". At the break the capital football players left, leading in the score 0: 1. However, in the second half, "Zenith" broke the game - a double Panova and Maximiuk's goal brought Petrograd trophy.

Eurocup battles and first medals

Thanks to this victory the following year, "Zenith" won the right to participate in European competition. In the UEFA Cup the team started from the 1st round. In the competition she got the Italian "Bologna".

It was not possible to cope with the excitement in the first home game of Anatoly Davydov's wards. Igonin Alexey Andreevich did not demonstrate the best game. The result is 0: 3. In the second leg on the Apennine peninsula "Zenith" tried to correct mistakes, but achieved only a productive draw 2: 2.

But in a couple of years, Petrograders finally won medals of the Russian Football Championship. In 2001 they took the third place. Above settled only the metropolitan Spartak and Lokomotiv.

Another success was achieved in the "Zenith" in 2003, Alexei Igonin. Footballer became a silver medalist of the Russian championship. Pitertsy in the struggle for the championship lost 3 points to CSKA Moscow, which did not lose the first line in the table, never during the entire championship.

In 2003 Igonin finished the performance for Zenit. For 9 seasons he spent 155 games in the St. Petersburg team, having scored 6 goals.

In the Russian team

In 1998 Igonin was involved in the Russian national football team. Anatoly Byshovets invited him to the team.

October 14 Igonin debuted immediately in the official match against Iceland. It was a qualifying match for the European Championships. He came on as a replacement in the 13th minute instead of the injured Andrei Tikhonov. That game was not easy, everything went to zero draw. However, on 89 minute defender Yuri Kovtun cut the ball into his own net. The Russian national team suffered a sensational defeat - 0: 1.

On November 18, Igonin held a friendly match with the Brazilians in which the Russians suffered a crushing defeat - 1: 5. Igonin was not called to the national team again, head coach Byshovets was sent out after that defeat.

The Makhachkala period

After "Zenith" Igonin played for the Odessa "Chernomorets", Ramensky "Saturn", in 2011 he became a player of FC "Anji". However, none of these teams have made serious progress. Although he spent 6 seasons in the Moscow region team, already as a veteran, organizing a game in the center of the field and on the defensive.

In total in a T-shirt "Saturn" Alexey played 142 games, scoring 1 goal. FC "Anji" became his last club in the career of a professional player. Makhachkala residents in that season in the Premier League stably kept in the middle of the standings, finishing in the end on the 8th place. However, Igonin himself this season did not play a big role in the team, appearing on the field only 5 times.

In 2012 Igonin completed his career as a professional football player. From 2002 to 2003 he was the captain of the St. Petersburg "Zenith". In his career, several times he got to the list of the best football players of the country. In 1998 and 2007 he was included in the list of 33 best players of the national championship, in 2000 he finished second among right midfielders, and in 1998 - third among left defenders, according to the edition of Sport Express.

Happy family man Alexei Igonin. Natasha's wife gave him a son, Yaroslav.