Andrey Arshavin

Andrey Sergeyevich Arshavin (Russian: Андрей Сергеевич Аршавин, IPA: [ɐnˈdrʲej sʲɪrˈɡʲejɪvʲɪtɕ ɐrˈʂavʲɪn]; born 29 May 1981) is a Russian former professional footballer who played as a winger or midfielder. Since 2019, Arshavin has held administrative posts at Zenit. In 2022, he became Deputy General Director for Sports Development, and became a member of the club's executive board in 2023.

Arshavin began his career at Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2000. He went on to win numerous trophies with the club such as the Russian Premier League, League Cup, Russian Super Cup, UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. During his time with Zenit, Arshavin was also named as the Russian Footballer of the Year.

He had a breakout performance at UEFA Euro 2008 where he impressed throughout Russia's run to the semi-final of the tournament, and also finished 6th in the 2008 Ballon d’Or. Arshavin thereafter signed for English Premier League club Arsenal during the 2008–09 winter transfer window, becoming the most expensive player in Arsenal's history at the time, with a fee of £15 million. Arshavin eventually rejoined Zenit, at first on loan and then permanently in 2013.

Arshavin was born in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, on 29 May 1981. His father Sergey Arshavin played as an amateur footballer. Arshavin survived an accident that could have killed him when he was hit by a car as a child. His parents divorced when he was 12, with Andrey having to sleep on the floor of a cramped flat with his mother. It was his father who persuaded him to pursue a career in football after his own failure to become a professional football player.

Arshavin began playing football at an early age and at seven years of age, he was enrolled in the Smena football academy of Zenit, his hometown club. As a schoolboy before football became his sole focus, he was a talented draughts player. Arshavin's father died of heart failure at age 40. He has written three books, including one titled 555 Questions and Answers on Women, Money, Politics and Football. Arshavin also has a degree in Fashion Design. He often misbehaved at school, commenting, "I behaved badly at school. When I was in the second grade, I tore down the registering journal of the class." It was this incident described by Arshavin that saw him expelled.

In 2000, Arshavin was included in the Zenit first-team squad, making his debut in a 3–0 away win over English side Bradford City in the Intertoto Cup, coming on as a first-half substitute for Andrey Kobelev. 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 the target man.

In the 2007 Russian Premier League season, Shava (Шава in Russian), as he was nicknamed by Zenit fans, guided his Zenit side to the title in starting all 30 matches, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists which was the most in the Russian Premier League that year en route. It was the club's first league title since winning the now-defunct Soviet Top League in 1984. Arshavin was also a key player during Zenit's 2007–08 UEFA Cup triumph and was named Man of the Match in the final, again topping the list for assists in that season's UEFA competition. In October 2008, Arshavin was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, along with 29 others in a list that included compatriot Yuri Zhirkov.

Arshavin's performances in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Euro 2008 brought him to the attention of several European clubs. However, interest had already been expressed in January 2008 by Newcastle United boss Sam Allardyce, but he was sacked as manager as the transfer window opened. In June 2008, Barcelona had their €15 million offer for the player turned down by Zenit.^{[citation needed]} Additionally, Tottenham Hotspur's £16 million offer in August also fell short of Zenit's £22 million asking price. Zenit's unwillingness to compromise on their asking price caused discontent from both Arshavin and his agent Dennis Lachter.^{[citation needed]}