One of the best Russian footballers of all time, Aleksandr Kerzjakov (40), now says that he has left the country as a result of the war. Famous politicians rage against the legend.
Among other things, Kerzjakov played together with Norwegian Erik Hagen in Zenit St. Petersburg. Since autumn 2022, he has lived in the Emirates and Cyprus.
– It became very difficult for me and my wife. I’m afraid. I never thought that something like this would be possible, says Kerzjakov in an interview with journalist Nobel Arustamjan on his YouTube-kanal.
– When they asked me in interviews what my greatest wish was, I answered “that there is no war”. Somewhere in the world.
– I do not understand that something like this could happen in such a modern and progressive society.
He nevertheless denies that he and his family have “denied their country”. Kerzhyakov does not speak directly about President Vladimir Putin and his regime, nor does he directly answer what he thinks is wrong in today’s Russia.
The well-known Russian professor Konstantin Sonin summarizes the interview as follows on Twitter:
Several well-known politicians have already criticized Kerzhakov:
– Everything he has received from Russia. He must understand this. As a citizen of Russia, he must be aware that he has not only rights, but also duties. That’s why it’s very strange to hear such things from him, says Dmitry Svishchev, a politician in the party LDPRLDPRThe ultra-nationalist party of the now deceased Vladimir Zhirinovsky. and president of the Russian Curling Federation, according to Govorit Moscow.
He still does not believe that Kerzhakov should be labeled a “foreign agent”, a label applied to opponents of the regime, such as Putin-critical journalists and politicians.
– I did not expect this from Kerzjakov. He seemed quite pro-Russian to me, says another politician, Svetlana Zjurova from Putin’s United Russia party, according to Govorit Moscow. Zjurova is a former Olympic figure skating champion.
Kerzjakov is primarily known for his career at Zenit St. Petersburg, but has also played for Sevilla and Dinamo Moscow.
He is the top scorer both for the Russian national team (after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991) and in Russian league football.
