Artem Dzyuba announced the end of his professional career. About the forward's eventful path in Russian football and the most memorable moments - in the material of RIA Novosti Sport.
Why did I end my career?
The best scorer in the history of Russian football is ready to hang up his boots. Although it seemed that Dzyuba was not yet ready to leave football, the striker had been looking for a new team all summer. However, now the 38-year-old athlete directly answered reporters’ question:
“Well, what career? Career over!
Fans will probably still be able to see Dziuba on the field - the footballer admitted that he could play in the Russian Cup. A frequent practice in recent years is that teams from the Media League, which receive admission to participate in the tournament on a sporting basis or by teaming up with other amateur teams that made it into the bracket, include veterans of domestic football in the application.
However, Dziuba put an end to his professional career. The forward’s last club was Akron Tolyatti, for which Artem played from 2024 to 2026. In 52 matches, he scored 18 goals and 12 assists. Solid statistics, but they did not help the footballer find a new club.
There were a lot of rumors. The loudest of them is a return to Spartak. Dziuba called this option a “beautiful story,” especially if he finally managed to win a trophy with the “red and whites.” The media wrote that the player’s representatives actually offered him to Spartak, but they categorically refused.
At some point, Dzyuba was persistently wooed to Rodina, but the management of the RPL newcomer consistently stated that the club was satisfied with the existing selection of performers. Options with Baltika, Akhmat, Orenburg were discussed... Fakel were ready to accept Dziuba at any time - the club’s general director stated that “no one should refuse such a player.”
Some experts really believed that a football player of Dzyuba’s class, even at 38 years old, is capable of helping RPL teams. Others sent the striker to the Media League. Dziuba himself did not consider this option. When asked by journalists whether Artem was going to continue his career there, he ironically replied: “Real Madrid.”
Top scorer and chief of scandals
Despite all his contradictions and difficult character, Dzyuba has rightly earned himself the status of a legend of Russian football. And this is how his fans will remember him.
Records
Dziuba's main record is, of course, the leader in goals scored at the professional level. 248 goals in all tournaments made him the undisputed leader - he beat former record holder Alexander Kerzhakov by 15 goals.
At the same time, Dzyuba holds the lead in goals in the Russian Championship - 177 scored. And his race for the title of top scorer in the history of the national team turned into a real saga. For a long time, Dzyuba shared the championship with the same Kerzhakov - the attackers had 30 goals each. A call to a friendly match against the Grenada national team in March 2025 allowed us to take the lead. The Russian team defeated the opponent with a score of 5:0, Dzyuba scored the third goal and took the title for himself.
Scandals
The number of similar stories involving Dzyuba easily rivals the number of records and awards. Just look at the case of a leaked intimate video, which immediately became a meme.
The consequences of that scandal almost destroyed the football player’s family, but he managed to correct the situation. Just like after the incident when Dziuba was filmed kissing TV presenter Maria Orzul in a car.
There were no less controversial situations in football. Ex-teammate Vladimir Bystrov accused Dzyuba of stealing money from his wallet in the Spartak locker room, Dzyuba himself quarreled with Valery Karpin and publicly called Unai Emery “coach,” and ex-president of Spartak Leonid Fedun said that the football player “would strangle all his relatives for a penny.”
Achievements
Naturally, the career would not be so successful without trophies. They failed to win them in Spartak - the “red-whites” with Dzyuba took second place three times in the championship. And the first success came in Rostov, when the club won the Russian Cup in the 2013/14 season.
Then there was a transition to Zenit and hegemony. Dzyuba became a four-time Russian champion, added two more victories in the national Cup, and won the Russian Super Cup four times. As part of the St. Petersburg team, Dzyuba twice became the top scorer of the championship at the end of the season, and in 2018 the Russian Football Union (RFU) recognized him as the best football player of the year.
Dziuba the leader
One of the brightest moments of his career was his performance at the home world championship. Dzyuba went to the World Cup as a reserve forward, but after coming on as a substitute in the first match with Saudi Arabia, he scored a goal a minute later.
The striker secured a place in the starting team, scoring both against Egypt in the next match and against the Spaniards in the triumphant playoff match. And celebrating goals scored with a military salute became Dziuba’s signature gesture.
How you became a media star
Dzyuba began to reveal his media potential while still playing for Lokomotiv Moscow. The footballer visited a bunch of popular Internet projects - from “The Big Show” to “Natal Chart” - and looked organic everywhere.
