8 footballers you forgot were playing in Russia as despot Vladimir Putin fears civil war
As Russia looks like it might be on the verge of a civil war, Daily Star Sport shines a light on players who continue to ply their trade in the country, despite Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine
Football in Russia might be a secondary thought due to what looked like an impending civil war on Saturday.
The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organisation, launched a mutiny towards Vladimir Putin and the Russian leadership after its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused Russian troops of attacking his forces. However, Prigozhin later appeared to back down.
The ongoing war with Ukraine, coupled with the attempted coup, has resulted in an incredibly tense situation in the nation with things such as sports a distant thought.
However, Daily Star Sport will be taking a detailed look into eight footballers who you may have forgotten continue to play in Russia among all the chaos.
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Malcolm
The former Barcelona man has played for Zenit Saint Petersburg since joining the Russian side in 2019.
It's been a hugely fruitful move for the 26-year-old, who's won the Russian Premier League every season he's been at the club as well as contributing to a Russian Cup and three Russian Super Cups.
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After not hitting the heights he was expected to in his first three seasons at the club, the winger had the best individual campaign of his career this past season after netting 23 goals in the league as he picked up the top scorer award, as well as winning the league's Player of the Season.
Keita Balde
The Senegalese national made the move to Spartak Moscow last summer after playing the entirety of his career in Italy and France.
Just a month after his debut, Balde was banned for two months, until December 2022, by the Italian Anti-Doping Organization for violating testing procedures during a loan spell at Cagliari the season prior.
The ban meant the 28-year-old played just 12 games in all competitions for Spartak, netting four goals, in a less than impressive debut season for the former Inter Milan forward.
Wendel
After signing for Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2020, Wendel has become an integral part of their midfield which has led the club to three straight titles during his tenure at the club.
The Brazilian netted a career-high eight goals in 24 league games to move Zenit to nine championship titles, just one behind Spartak Moscow's league-record 10.
Wilmar Barrios
A third Zenit player on this list, Wilmar Barrios has been present for the club's four straight league titles spanning from 2019 as he's been an ever-present aspect of the team.
The Colombian has won six trophies in his four years with the Russian club and is as important for his club side as he is for his country where's racked up 54 appearances since making his international debut in 2016.
Victor Moses
The Premier League veteran has been in Russia since 2020 after a loan spell with Spartak Moscow who made his move permanent which ended his nine-year stay with parent club, Chelsea.
Moses, who is a former Premier League winner and a two-time winner of the Europa League, brought some of his winning mentality to his side after they won the Russian Cup in the 2021/22 season after defeating bitter rivals, Dynamo Moscow.
Igor Akinfeev
One of the last one-club men in football, Igor Akinfeev has been a fixture of CSKA Moscow's professional setup since 2003.
A 20-year career for the goalkeeper which has seen him win 21 trophies with his boyhood club, including six Russian Premier League titles and the UEFA Cup in 2008, which remains the last European trophy a Russian club has won.
The 37-year-old also represented his country 111 times between 2004 and 2018 where he competed in seven international tournaments, including the 2018 World Cup which was hosted in his home country where they made the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Croatia.
Quincy Promes
After representing Spartak Moscow between 2014 and 2018, where he won a league title in the 2016/17 season, Quincy Promes made a return to the club in 2021 after spells with Sevilla and his boyhood club, Ajax.
Upon his second stint with the club, Promes won the Russian Cup in the 2021/22 season before netting 18 league goals this past season.
It will be a while before we see the Dutchman don Spartak Moscow colours again as he this past week, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stabbing his cousin.
Artem Dyzuba
The towering striker has played his entire professional career in Russia except a three-month stint in Turkey which ended just three months after the season began.
Artem Dyzuba enjoyed stints with Spartak Moscow, who he began his career with, and after nine years with the club, he made the move to Zenit Saint Petersburg where he played the best football of his career.
He scored more than 100 goals for the club as they achieved four straight league titles and at 34 years of age, the former Russian international, now plays for Lokomotiv Moscow.