Valery Gazzaev is a former Soviet footballer and manager known for his impactful career in football.
He played as a forward and had a successful playing career with clubs like FC Dynamo Moscow and the USSR national team.
Gazzaev scored 89 goals in 283 matches during his time in the Soviet Top League.
Biography
Early Life
Valery Georgiyevich Gazzaev was born on August 7, 1954, in Ordzhonikidze, now known as Vladikavkaz, Russia. He began his football journey at a young age, playing for Spartak Ordzhonikidze in the Soviet First League. His talent quickly became evident, leading him to join SKA Rostov-on-Don in 1974, where he contributed to the team's promotion to the Soviet Top League.
Playing Career
Gazzaev's professional career flourished in the Soviet Top League, where he played for notable clubs such as FC Lokomotiv Moscow, FC Dinamo Moscow, and FC Dinamo Tbilisi. He was a prolific forward, scoring 89 goals in 283 matches and winning the Soviet Cup with Dynamo Moscow in 1984. Gazzaev also represented the Soviet Union national team, earning accolades such as the bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics and becoming the under-23 European champion in 1976.
Coaching Career
After retiring from playing in 1986, Gazzaev transitioned into coaching, starting with the youth team of Dynamo Moscow. His managerial career took off when he led Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz to the Russian championship in 1995. He later achieved significant success with CSKA Moscow, winning the UEFA Cup in 2005 and multiple Russian Premier League titles. Gazzaev's CSKA team was the first from Russia to win a European competition post-Soviet Union. He also had a stint as head coach of Dynamo Kyiv and returned to Alania Vladikavkaz as president and manager before the club's dissolution in 2014.
Personal Life
Valery Gazzaev is not only known for his football achievements but also for his family ties in the sport; he is a cousin of fellow coach Yuri Gazzaev and the father of Vladimir Gazzaev, who also pursued a career in football coaching. Gazzaev's contributions to football have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Order of Honour and the title of Merited Coach of Russia.
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Gallery
Career & Clubs
Soviet First League
Gazzaev was born 7 August 1954 in Ordzhonikidze, Russian SFSR, now Vladikavkaz, Russia. He started his playing career as a forward for his native Spartak Ordzhonikidze in the Soviet First League. In 1974, he moved to SKA Rostov-on-Don, which got promoted from the Soviet First League to the Soviet Top League after a second-place finish at the end of the season. However, Gazzaev was left behind in the first league in Spartak Ordzhonikidze, as he wasn't one of the main players of the SKA Rostov-on-Don.
Soviet Top League
In the Soviet Top League, Gazzaev played in Lokomotiv Moscow, Dynamo Moscow, and Dinamo Tbilisi. Gazzaev is a Soviet Cup winner with Dynamo Moscow in 1984. During his career he scored 89 goals in 283 matches in Soviet Top League, and was the top goal scorer of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1984–85.
After finishing his playing career in 1986 Gazzaev coached the youth team of Dynamo Moscow before moving to work with professional clubs. His first major success as a manager was winning the Russian championship with Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz in 1995. More titles followed after Gazzaev moved to coach CSKA Moscow. With them he won the 2004–05 UEFA Cup, as well as the Russian Premier League in 2003, 2005 and 2006 and the Russian Cup in 2002, 2005, and 2006, on 5 December 2008 left PFC CSKA Moscow. Gazzaev's CSKA Moscow team was the first side from the Russian Federation to win a European competition since the fall of the Soviet Union. On 26 May 2009, the former CSKA Moscow coach was named as the new head coach of Dynamo Kyiv, who signed a three years contract also until 2012. After a spell as Dynamo Kyiv head coach he returned to Vladikavkaz and became president (2011) and then also manager (November 2012) of Alania Vladikavkaz. In February 2014, the football club "Alania", led by Gazzaev, ceased to exist and pulled out of the 2013–14 Russia First Division, due to financial liquidation and sponsorship problems, and the club was dissolved.
He became the under-23 European champion with USSR in 1976 and under-21 European champion in 1980. He also won the bronze medal with USSR at the Summer Olympics in Moscow.
- Club
- FC Alania Vladikavkaz (1970–1973)
- Club
- FC Lokomotiv Moscow (1976–1978)
- Club
- FC SKA Rostov-on-Don (1974–1974)
- Club
- FC Dinamo Tbilisi (1986–1986)
- Club
- FC Dinamo Moscow (1979–1985)
- Club
- FC Alania Vladikavkaz (1975–1975)
- Club
- Soviet Union national association football team (1978–1980)
- National team
- Soviet Union
Trophies & Awards
- Award
- Order of Honour
- Award
- Master of Sport of the USSR, International Class
- Award
- Order of Friendship
- Award
- Merited Coach of Russia
- Award
- Order of Friendship
- Award
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class
- Award
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class
Personal
He is a cousin of Yuri Gazzaev and father of Vladimir Gazzayev, both of them football coaches as well.
Clubs
- FC Alania Vladikavkaz1970–1973
- FC SKA Rostov-on-Don1974–1974
- FC Alania Vladikavkaz1975–1975
- FC Lokomotiv Moscow1976–1978
- Soviet Union national association football team1978–1980
- FC Dinamo Moscow1979–1985
- FC Dinamo Tbilisi1986–1986
Played together with
Abdoul-Gafar MamahFC Alania Vladikavkaz · 2010–2011
Adrian RopotanFC Dinamo Moscow · 2009–2012
Akaki KhubutiaFC Dinamo Tbilisi · 2004–2004- Akaki KhubutiaFC Dinamo Tbilisi · 2016–2016
Akhrik TsveibaFC Alania Vladikavkaz · 1997–1997- Akhrik TsveibaFC Dinamo Moscow · 2001–2001
- Akhrik TsveibaFC Dinamo Tbilisi · 1985–1989
Alain MasudiFC Lokomotiv Moscow · 2001–2001
Alakbar MammadovFC Dinamo Moscow · 1954–1959
Alan KasaevFC Alania Vladikavkaz · 2007–2007- Alan KasaevFC Dinamo Moscow · 2013–2014
- Alan KasaevFC Lokomotiv Moscow · 2014
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Valery Georgiyevich Gazzaev is a Russian politician, football manager and former footballer of Ossetian descent. As a Soviet footballer he played the position of a striker enjoying successes with his team FC Dynamo Moscow as well as the USSR national football team in the Olympics.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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