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Yuri Valentinovich Zhirkov (Russian: Ю́рий Валенти́нович Жирко́в; born 20 August 1983) is a Russian footballer who plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg and the Russia national team.

A left-sided player who can play full-back or winger, Zhirkov began his career at local Spartak Tambov before joining top-flight CSKA Moscow in 2004. In 2005 he won the UEFA Cup with CSKA Domestic and European success followed, and in 2009 he moved to English Premier League club Chelsea for £18 million. After two seasons, he returned to Russia with Anzhi Makhachkala, who sold him to Dynamo Moscow in 2013. He then signed for Zenit in January 2016.

Zhirkov has earned over 75 international caps since 2005. His performance at UEFA Euro 2008, in which Russia reached the semi-finals, was recognised with his inclusion in the Team of the Tournament and award as well as Futbol's Russian Footballer of the Year. He was also selected to the Russian squads for Euro 2012, 2016 and the 2014, 2017, 2018 Cup Condfideration and FIFA World Cup. Since FC Zenit is absent from the game, but Zhirkov plays in the national team, he is present in the game as a free agent.

Interesting Facts[]

  • In the Russian version of the game, when the player receives the ball, the commentator says: "And this is Zhirkov, he can!"
  • in UEFA Euro 2008, if a team plays well, then the potential ability becomes the main ability.
  • In FIFA 11, the player's height was 185 cm incorrectly, but in real life the player's height was 180. Later this was corrected.

Highlights in a series of games[]

Yuri is a unique player on the Russian national team. The only player in the national team to have participated in all FIFA series since FIFA 2005. Was in the game UEFA Champions League 2006-2007, the only one of the currently playing Russian players (except for Akinfeev). Also featured in the first version of Ultimate team mode in UEFA Champions League 2006-2007.In the gallery section there is a history of the change in Zhirkov's face.

Below are the highlights of his career:

FIFA 2006[]

Knows as Youri Zhirkov. In real life, played for CSKA Moscow, the game at 22 years old is listed only in the Russian national team.In the Russian national team he was registered as a left midfielder, under number 26. Zhirkov made his debut for the national team on February 9, 2005 in a match against the Italian national team, entering the field in the starting lineup. In 2005 he won the UEFA Cup with CSKA Moscow.

Had a rating of 58 with a potential of 67 in game. At 22 years old, with a height of 178 cm and 70 kg.Strong point was dribbling (74) and crossings (79). At the same time, the acceleration is 76, which is very good for a young player. But at the same time it has weaknesses: passing (67), long passes (51), precision of strikes (58).

UEFA Euro 2008 video game.(and FIFA 08)[]

Knows as Youri Zhirkov. After a season in FIFA 07 and Euro 2008, the player's rating increased by more than 10 points - 76 rating. At 24 years old, with a height of 178 cm and 70 kg. Zhirkov's potential also grew to 87.

Registered positions: Left Midfielder (Right Winger Midfield in FIFA 07)

Talents: High workout speed; Fan Favorite; Long throw

Thanks to his signature dribbling, as well as competent strikes and crosses, Zhirkov achieved medals for the national team at Euro 2008, and also attracted the attention of European teams. Including because of this in the game, he was rewarded with the following characteristics: Player has improved ball possession (74) and dribbling (79); Ball Crossing (81).I also added a little in the power of hitting the ball and endurance.

Weaknesses: Strength (67) and Long Pass (66)

In 2008 he became the winner in the nomination for the best RPL player.

FIFA 10[]

Knows as Yuriy Zhirkov. In 2009 (26 y.o), many clubs were interested in the Russian, including such as: Liverpool (the first request was in December 2008), Chelsea, QPR (playing in the championship), Juventus. As a result, Yuriy moved to Chelsea in the summer of 2009, until the summer of 2012.

Club: Chelsea (premier league)

Contract until: summer 2012

Registered positions: Left midfielder, left back

Current Ability/Potential ability: 83/90

Talents: Long throw

After moving to Chelsea, the player has changed a lot. For example, it ceased to be a "Fan Favorite".

Major up changes: Short pass: (82), Endurance.: (88), power short: (73), Accuracy Free Kick: (78), Overclocking: (82), at.position: (79), Ball Crossing (91), Speed jerks: (87), player custody: (83), long shot: (81), power (74), Ball possession (85), Tackling the ball: (77)

Major down changes: Head (62)

The season itself was ambiguous for the player, many were upset that the player could not adequately show himself for the club. In the national team, things were not going well, in order to reach the 2010 World Cup it was necessary to take qualifying places. Russia could have come out in first place, but lost at home to the German national team 0-1. Yuri Zhirkov took part in this match, but he was not noticed with effective actions. Russia went to play-offs with Slovenia, where they beat rivals at home 2-1. In the away match, Russia together with Zhirkov sensationally lost to the Slovenian national team 1-0.

FIFA 11[]

Zhirkov (27 y.o) didn’t matter who finished 2009-10, nor did he play very well in 2010-11. In the game, the developers reflected this.

Even so, with Yuri, a strange thing was noticed in terms of anthropometric data. His height was 185 cm, when he was in the early parts (as well as in future parts) 178cm. The weight was 75 kg.

Despite the frankly weak season, Yuri Zhirkov was remembered by everyone as a goal against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League match (Chelsea 2-0 Spartak). The match was especially remarkable for the Russian fans. Firstly, because it is not often a Russian player scores against Russian teams in the Champions League. Secondly, because Zhirkov played for CSKA Moscow, which is an ardent enemy of Spartak Moscow. In general, the ball was scored beautifully ;).

It should be said right away that in the 2010-11 season Zhirkov received a licensed face in game.

Club: Chelsea (premier league)

Contract until: summer 2012

Registered positions: Left midfielder, left back, left wing-back, CAM.

Current Ability/Potential ability: 81/86

Talents: Long throw, Backspin pass


Yuri had no progress in abilities. But there is a complete setback.

Major down changes: Short pass: (80), Endurance.: (86), power short: (73), Accuracy Free Kick: (78), Overclocking: (81), at.position: (76), Ball Crossing (87), Speed jerks: (83), player custody: (74), long shot: (81), power (72), Ball possession (81), Tackling the ball: (77)

FIFA 12[]

In the summer of 2011, interest in Zhirkov (28 y.o) was expressed by Russian clubs - Moscow Dynamo and Spartak, as well as Rubin. Abramovich and his friend, the owner of CSKA, Evgeny Giner, refused to sell the player to Spartak (Spartak is the principal rival of CSKA), but the player himself was inclined to move to Spartak (the fact is that the player was brought up in Spartak Tambov). As a result, on August 2, 2011, Yuri Zhirkov moved to Anji for 15 million euros. In Russia, Zhirkov's transition was perceived as a pursuit of money and fear of competition for a place in Chelsea. Yuri became one of the leaders of the “eagles” and with the team took third place in the championship, which gave a ticket to the Europa League next season.

In FIFA 12, Zhirkov has changed his height. Now it is 180cm and weighs 75kg


Club: Chelsea (premier league) -> Anji Makhachkala (Russian Premier League)

Contract until: summer 2015

Registered positions: Left midfielder, left back,, CAM, CM.

Current Ability/Potential ability: 81/82

Talents: Speed dribbling (AI only), Avoids Using Weaker Foot, Injury prone

Features: Ball Canopy Master


The main skill that Zhirkov has improved is "spinning the ball" (87). Warding became (76), Tackle of a football player (82), normal tackling (73).The rest of the characteristics were left unchanged.

FIFA 15[]

In 2013 year after changing the development strategy of the club, Anji decided to get rid of the players with a large salary. Thus, Alexandr Kokorin, Igor Denisov and Zhirkov moved from the Makhachkala club to Dynamo Moscow

In 2014/15 the season in the "blue-white" for Zhirkov was more even than the previous one, primarily due to the absence of injuries. Throughout most of the championship, Yuriy was a player in the starting lineup of Dynamo, playing in his usual positions of left-back and midfielder. He did not manage to be marked by effective actions in the Premier League for a long time, only on April 4, 2015, in the match against Lokomotiv, the player was able to score an assist to William Venker. The match ended 2:2. This effective action turned out to be the only one for Zhirkov in the entire championship, according to the results of which Dynamo, as in the previous year, took fourth place. At the same time, the team played quite successfully in the 2014/2015 Europa League, where it managed to get out of the group from the first place, having won all six matches. On account of Zhirkov were victorious goals against the Dutch PSV (1: 0) and the Portuguese "Estoril" (2: 1). At the playoff stage, Dynamo reached the stage of the 1/8 finals, where they lost to Napoli on aggregate.

It was noticed that the player, already at the age of 32, reached the peak and stopped changing much in abilities. However, it was noticed that the guarding of the defense became (66), the acceleration and speed of steel (76 and 78), for a 32-year-old player was good endurance (81). The rest has not been changed.


Club: Dinamo Moscow (Russian Premier League)

Contract until: summer 2016

Registered positions: Left midfielder, left back, LFA.

Current Ability/Potential ability: 78/78

Talents: Speed dribbling (AI only), Avoids Using Weaker Foot, Injury prone

FIFA 18 (FIFA World Cup 2018)[]

On January 26, 2016, Dynamo and Zenit reached an agreement that from July 1, 2016 Zhirkov will continue his career in the blue-white-blue. The contract is for two years. Zhirkov will join Zenit as a free agent, unless the parties decide on the player's early transfer. On January 30, together with Alexander Kokorin, they moved to Zenit ahead of schedule. On June 9, 2018, Zenit extended the contract with Zhirkov for one year, despite the fact that the player was forced to miss the first half of the season due to injury. After returning to duty, Zhirkov returned to the main squad of Zenit and helped the team to issue the championship title three rounds before the end of the champions.

Zhirkov in FIFA 18 becomes one of the veterans of both the club and the Russian national team.

Club: Zenit St.Petersburg (Russian Premier League)

Contract until: summer 2019

Registered positions: Left midfielder, left back

Current Ability/Potential ability: 75/75

Talents: Speed dribbling (AI only), Avoids Using Weaker Foot

Therefore, the main attributes of the player: Guardianship (66); Selection (76); Pass (77); Speed (75); awnings (78); player tackle (79); selection of the ball (76).


He entered the national team's application for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He took part in games against Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in which Russia won with 6 points and guaranteed a place in the playoffs. Zhirkov missed the match against Uruguay. In the 1/8 final match with the Spaniards, he was injured. The preliminary diagnosis - inflammation of the tendon of one of the lower leg muscles - was confirmed during a medical examination and did not allow him to take part in further matches of the national team in the tournament. The national team reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Croatia in the penalty shootout.

FIFA 19[]

On July 10, 2018, Zhirkov announced his retirement in the Russian national team. However, on March 16, 2019, the head coach of the national team Stanislav Cherchesov announced Zhirkov's call to the national team to prepare for the matches of the qualifying tournament of the European Championship 2020 against Belgium and Kazakhstan. Zhirkov played in five of the ten matches of the qualifying tournament.

Therefore, on September 20, 2018, he was removed from the game, since the Zenit club is not in the game, and the player ended his career in the national team, but after returning to the Russian national team in March 2019, he was added to the game again. The characteristics remained unchanged.

FIFA 21[]

Zhirkov (37 y.o) in FIFA 21 becomes one veterans of both the club and the Russian national team.

Club: Free agent . ( "Zenit St.Petersburg" in real life(Russian Premier League))

Contract until: summer 2024

Registered positions: Left midfielder, left back

Current Ability/Potential ability: 77/77

Talents: Speed dribbling (AI only)

Therefore, the main attributes of the player: Guardianship (77); Selection (76); Pass (77); Speed (75); awnings (78); player tackle (79); selection of the ball (76).


The player did not suffer any special changes, however, from fifa 20, he has a rating of 77 (one point higher). And according to rumors, the 37-year-old player is not going to end his career.


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