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Fyodor Mikhaylovich Smolov (Russian: Фёдор Миха́йлович Смо́лов, IPA: [ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ ˈsmoləf]; born 9 February 1990) is a Russian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Krasnodar.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
Fyodor Smolov
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Smolov with Dynamo Moscow in 2022
Personal information
Full name Fyodor Mikhailovich Smolov
Date of birth (1990-02-09) 9 February 1990 (age 34)[1]
Place of birth Saratov, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Krasnodar
Number 19
Youth career
1997–2004 Sokol Saratov
2005–2006 Master-Saturn Yegoryevsk
2006–2007 Saturn Moscow
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2015 Dynamo Moscow 68 (3)
2010Feyenoord (loan) 11 (1)
2012–2013Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) 15 (0)
2014Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) 11 (2)
2014–2015Ural Yekaterinburg (loan) 22 (8)
2015–2018 Krasnodar 75 (53)
2018–2022 Lokomotiv Moscow 72 (23)
2020Celta Vigo (loan) 14 (2)
2022–2024 Dynamo Moscow 60 (19)
2024– Krasnodar 13 (1)
International career
2006–2007 Russia U17 11 (5)
2008 Russia U19 5 (3)
2008–2013 Russia U21 32 (16)
2012–2021 Russia 45 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2021
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Club career

Smolov is a graduate of the Master-Saturn Yegoryevsk football academy. In 2007, he joined Dynamo Moscow. He made his Russian Premier League debut for Dynamo on 28 April 2007 in a game against FC Luch-Energiya Vladivostok, at the age of 17, as a last-minute substitute for Cícero. Despite scoring prolifically for the national junior teams and Dynamo's own Under-21 squad, he only scored one goal for the senior team in the next 3.5 seasons and only started in 11 games up to that point. On 14 July 2010, the club announced that Smolov would join Feyenoord on a one-year loan deal.[3] Returning from loan, Smolov started 2011–12 season as a squad player, but after 9 matchdays his impact was limited to substitute appearances. So he was loaned again, this time to Anzhi Makhachkala - initially for whole 2012–13 season,[4] and then for the second part of 2013–14 season.[5]

Loan to Ural

On 1 September 2014, Smolov joined Ural Yekaterinburg on a season-long loan deal.[6] Two weeks later, on his new club debut, he scored a goal in a 1–2 away loss to Amkar Perm.[7] He provided 8 goals and 2 assists in 22 league appearances for Ural.[citation needed]

Krasnodar

On 2 June 2015, Smolov signed a four-year contract with the Russian Premier League club Krasnodar as a free agent.[8] He made his competitive debut for his new club in a 1–0 away victory over Amkar Perm in his first league match on 20 July 2015,[9] and scored his first goal in a 3–3 draw against Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round on 6 August.[10]

On 10 April 2016, Smolov scored four goals in Krasnodar's 6–0 victory over his former club Ural Yekaterinburg.[11] With 20 goals in 29 games, he became the top scorer of the 2015–16 Russian Premier League season, and he is the first Krasnodar player who achieved this title. He repeated as top scorer in the 2016–17 Russian Premier League, scoring 18 times. In the 2017–18 Russian Premier League, he came in second with 14 goals to Quincy Promes' 15.[citation needed]

Lokomotiv Moscow

On 9 August 2018, he joined the Russian Premier League champion FC Lokomotiv Moscow.[12]

Loan to Celta

On 30 January 2020, he joined Spanish club Celta Vigo on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season.[13] He scored his first goal for the new club on 16 February 2020 at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against Real Madrid in a 2–2 away draw. Smolov scored the second goal of his loan spell in a 2–2 draw with Barcelona on 27 June.[14]

Return to Lokomotiv

On 12 May 2021, he scored the go-ahead goal in the 2021 Russian Cup Final against Krylia Sovetov.[15] He won his third trophy at Lokomotiv and also became the tournament's joint-top scorer with 4 goals, along with teammate François Kamano.[citation needed]

Return to Dynamo

On 12 January 2022, Dynamo announced the signing of Fyodor from Lokomotiv, making him return to the first club in his professional career.[16] Also the Moscow club disclosed that the term of the contract is 1.5 years plus an additional optional year.[17] On 26 February 2022, in his first competitive game back with Dynamo, he scored the opening goal of the 3–0 victory over FC Khimki, 11 years after he last scored for Dynamo.[18]

On 31 May 2023, Smolov extended his contract with Dynamo for the 2023–24 season, with an option for the 2024–25 season.[19]

Return to Krasnodar

On 18 June 2024, Smolov returned to Krasnodar on a one-year contract.[20]

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International career

Smolov was part of the Russia Under-21 side that was competing in the 2011 European Under-21 Championship qualification.[21] He was an important factor in the U-21 team qualifying for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in the next cycle, scoring three goals in the qualification play-offs against the Czech Republic.[citation needed]

On 6 November 2012, Russia manager Fabio Capello included Smolov in the squad for a friendly game against the United States.[22] During the game, he made his debut and scored his first goal for the national team, netting the opener in a 2–2 home draw on 14 November.[23]

Smolov scored his first competitive goal for the national team in a 7–0 away victory against Liechtenstein in a Euro 2016 qualifier on 8 September 2015.[24] He was subsequently included in Russia's squad for the final tournament in France, where he started in all three matches as Russia finished 4th in group B.[25][26]

In the opening match of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup against New Zealand on 17 June at Krestovsky Stadium, Smolov scored Russia's second goal in a 2–0 win and was Man of the Match.[27]

On 3 June 2018, he was included in the finalized World Cup squad.[28] He started the tournament-opener game against Saudi Arabia and appeared as a substitute in every subsequent game. He scored the opening penalty kick in the shoot-out that helped Russia defeat Spain in the Round of 16, but had his shot saved by Danijel Subašić in the quarterfinal shoot-out which Russia lost to Croatia.[citation needed]

On 11 May 2021, he was named as a back-up player for Russia's UEFA Euro 2020 squad.[29]

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Personal life

Smolov is fluent in English and has read Mario Puzo's books in the original language.[30] From 2012, he was in a relationship with Russian model and TV hostess Victoria Lopyreva. The couple got married in December 2013 but then divorced in May 2015.[31] He has supported AC Milan since the 1997–98 season and once cited George Weah and Andriy Shevchenko as his childhood favorite players.[32] On 1 August 2018, Smolov crashed his BMW M5 into a traffic barrier in Krasnodar. He was later fined and had his driver's license suspended for one year for leaving the scene of the accident.[33] On April 5, 2020 Smolov broke Spain's coronavirus protocols to return to Russia to celebrate the 18th birthday of his fiancee Maria Yumasheva, the granddaughter of Boris Yeltsin.[34]

He is the first Russian footballer to speak out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.[35]

In June 2023 Smolov married DJ and blogger Karina Istomina.[36] On the 15th of November of the same year the couple had a daughter named Laura.

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Career statistics

Club

As of match played 1 December 2024[37]
More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dynamo Moscow 2007 Russian Premier League 300030
2008 Russian Premier League 711081
2009 Russian Premier League 180312[b]0231
2010 Russian Premier League 200020
2011–12 Russian Premier League 23210242
2013–14 Russian Premier League 13010140
2014–15 Russian Premier League 20001[c]030
Total 683613000774
Feyenoord (loan) 2010–11 Eredivisie 111102[c]0141
Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) 2012–13 Russian Premier League 150308[c]1261
2013–14 Russian Premier League 112004[c]0152
Total 2623012100413
Ural Yekaterinburg (loan) 2014–15 Russian Premier League 22810238
Krasnodar 2015–16 Russian Premier League 29203112[c]34424
2016–17 Russian Premier League 2218118[c]63125
2017–18 Russian Premier League 2214002[c]02414
2018–19 Russian Premier League 21000021
Total 75534222910164
Lokomotiv Moscow 2018–19 Russian Premier League 226413[d]0297
2019–20 Russian Premier League 143004[d]01[e]1194
2020–21 Russian Premier League 217343[d]01[e]02811
2021–22 Russian Premier League 157006[c]01[e]0227
Total 722375160319829
Celta Vigo (loan) 2019–20 La Liga 14200142
Dynamo Moscow 2021–22 Russian Premier League 11542157
2022–23 Russian Premier League 2410723112
2023–24 Russian Premier League 25492346
Total 60192068025
Krasnodar 2024–25 Russian Premier League 131621[e]1204
Career total 3611124816551042468140
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  1. One appearance in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearance in Russian Super Cup

International

As of 14 November 2021[38]
More information National team, Year ...
National teamYearAppsGoals
Russia
201211
201341
201552
201692
201795
201891
201922
202162
Total4516
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Scores and results list Russia's goal tally first.[37]
More information No., Date ...
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.14 November 2012Kuban Stadium, Krasnodar, Russia United States1–02–2Friendly
2.19 November 2013Zabeel Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates South Korea1–12–1Friendly
3.8 September 2015Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Liechtenstein5–07–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
4.17 November 2015Olimp-2, Rostov-on-Don, Russia Croatia1–01–3Friendly
5.26 March 2016Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia Lithuania1–03–0Friendly
6.6 September 2016Lokomotiv Stadium, Moscow, Russia Ghana1–01–0Friendly
7.5 June 2017Groupama Arena, Budapest, Hungary Hungary1–03–0Friendly
8.17 June 2017Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia New Zealand2–02–02017 FIFA Confederations Cup
9.7 October 2017VEB Arena, Moscow, Russia South Korea1–04–2Friendly
10.14 November 2017Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia Spain1–23–3Friendly
11.3–3
12.27 March 2018Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia France1–21–3Friendly
13.8 June 2019Mordovia Arena, Saransk, Russia San Marino7–09–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
14.8–0
15.7 September 2021Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia Malta1–02–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
16.11 November 2021Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia Cyprus2–06–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification
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Honours

Lokomotiv Moscow
Individual

References

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