Aleksey Smertin is a former Russian footballer known for his versatility on the field.
Smertin played for several clubs, including Chelsea F.C. and FC Girondins de Bordeaux, during his career.
He made his international debut for Russia in 1998 and was capped 55 times throughout his career.
Biography
Early Life
Aleksey Gennadyevich Smertin was born in Barnaul, Russian SFSR, where he began his journey in football. His early career saw him play for FC Dynamo Barnaul and FC Zarya Leninsk-Kuznetsky, showcasing his versatility as a midfielder and defender.
Club Career
Smertin's professional career took off as he joined FC Elista, followed by a significant stint at FC Lokomotiv Moscow from 1999 to 2000. He then moved to France, playing for FC Girondins de Bordeaux from 2000 to 2003, before making a high-profile transfer to Chelsea F.C. in August 2003 for £3.45 million. During his time at Chelsea, he was loaned to Portsmouth, where he made a notable impact, particularly in a match against Manchester United. After a season at Chelsea, he was loaned to Charlton Athletic and later transferred to FC Dinamo Moscow.
International Career
On the international stage, Smertin made his debut for the Russian national team in 1998 and went on to earn 55 caps. He represented Russia in major tournaments, including the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2004, where he served as captain for a period.
Legacy and Current Role
After retiring from professional play, Smertin transitioned into football administration, currently serving in the Russian Football Union as the director of regional policies and international relations, as well as an anti-discrimination and anti-racism officer. His contributions to football, both on and off the pitch, have solidified his legacy in Russian football history.
Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Gallery
Career & Clubs
Early career
Born in Barnaul, Russian SFSR, Smertin has previously played for Dinamo Barnaul, Zarya Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Uralan Elista, Lokomotiv Moscow, and French team Girondins Bordeaux before moving on to Chelsea. His older brother Yevgeni Smertin played football professionally as well.
Chelsea, Portsmouth and Charlton
Claudio Ranieri brought Smertin to Chelsea from Bordeaux in August 2003 for £3.45m, before loaning him out to Portsmouth for the 2003–04 season. After some impressive performances at Fratton Park, most notably in Pompey's 1–0 victory over Manchester United, Smertin returned to London. However, Ranieri had now been succeeded by José Mourinho, who had made his own midfield signing in compatriot Tiago Mendes, adding to a midfield that already boasted Frank Lampard, Claude Makélélé, Geremi, and Scott Parker. Smertin only played a bit-part role for the team in 2004–05 as Chelsea won the title, but made enough appearances to earn a medal (16 in total). He did however score his first and only Chelsea goal this season, in the 3–1 Champions League win over Porto. He was ultimately deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge and was loaned out to Charlton Athletic for the 2005–06 season. At Charlton, he was a starter and had some impressive performances. In March 2006, he was transferred to Dynamo Moscow, for a fee of £1 million.
Dynamo Moscow
Smertin played a total of 22 games for Dynamo Moscow before being transfer listed, alongside…
Smertin made his debut for Russia in 1998 in a 1–0 defeat against Iceland; in the same match he received a red card. He was capped 55 times for Russia, and was selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2004. He was made captain in June 2004, and was succeeded in that role by Andrey Arshavin. He became the winner Cyprus International Football Tournament 2003
- Club
- FC Zarya Leninsk-Kuznetsky (1994–1997)
- Club
- FC Lokomotiv Moscow (1999–2000)
- Club
- FC Elista (1997–1998)
- Club
- FC Dynamo Barnaul (1992–1993)
- Club
- Portsmouth F.C. (2003–2004)
- Club
- FC Dinamo Moscow (2006–2007)
- Club
- Chelsea F.C. (2003–2006)
- Club
- FC Girondins de Bordeaux (2000–2003)
- Club
- Charlton Athletic F.C. (2005–2006)
- Club
- Fulham F.C. (2007–2008)
- Club
- Russia men's national football team (1998–2006)
- Club
- FC Dinamo Moscow (2006–2006)
- Club
- FC Elista (1998–1998)
- League
- Premier League
- National team
- Russia
Legacy
Lokomotiv Moscow
Russian Cup: 1999–2000 Bordeaux
Coupe de la Ligue: 2001–02 Chelsea
Premier League: 2004–05 Individual
Russian Footballer of the Year, awarded by Futbol and Sport-Express (1999)
Clubs
- FC Dynamo Barnaul1992–1993
- FC Zarya Leninsk-Kuznetsky1994–1997
- FC Elista1997–1998
- FC Elista1998–1998
- Russia men's national football team1998–2006
- FC Lokomotiv Moscow1999–2000
- FC Girondins de Bordeaux2000–2003
- Chelsea F.C.2003–2006
- Portsmouth F.C.2003–2004
- Charlton Athletic F.C.2005–2006
- FC Dinamo Moscow2006–2007
- FC Dinamo Moscow2006–2006
- Fulham F.C.2007–2008
Played together with
Aaron AnselminoChelsea F.C. · 2024- Aaron BarnesCharlton Athletic F.C.
Aaron BoupendzaFC Girondins de Bordeaux · 2016–2020- Aaron CookPortsmouth F.C. · 1998–1999
- Aaron FlahavanPortsmouth F.C. · 1994–2001
Aaron HughesFulham F.C. · 2007–2014
Aaron McCareyPortsmouth F.C. · 2015–2015
Aaron MokoenaPortsmouth F.C. · 2009–2012
Abderrahman IbrirFC Girondins de Bordeaux · 1946–1947
Abdeslam OuaddouFulham F.C. · 2001–2003
Abdesselem Ben MohammedFC Girondins de Bordeaux · 1952–1955
Abdou TraoréFC Girondins de Bordeaux · 2006–2008
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Aleksey Gennadyevich Smertin is a Russian football official and a former player. He was a fairly versatile player and was able to play in defence as well as midfield. He works in the Russian Football Union in two positions - "director of regional policies and international relations" and "anti-discrimination and anti-racism officer".
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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