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Artem Dzyuba, Russia’s all-time leading scorer, has said his professional playing career is over after going without a club following last season. He told TASS he might still appear for an influencer-run team in the Russian Cup, but said he was unsure and would not make a formal retirement announcement.
Artem Dzyuba, Russia’s all-time leading scorer, says his professional playing career is over, though he has not formally announced his retirement and left open the possibility of appearing for an influencer-run team in the Russian Cup. The 38-year-old striker has been without a club since last season, after playing for Akron from 2024.
Dzyuba described his status in separate interviews with Russian outlets TASS and RB Sport. “You could say I’ve retired,” he told TASS, adding that he might still play for one of the influencer-run teams in the Russian Cup, “just for the stats.” He said he was not sure whether he would do so. To RB Sport, he said his “career is over”, while also saying he would not make an official announcement.
The remarks point to an end to Dzyuba’s career at the professional level, but they do not amount to a formal retirement declaration. His comment about a possible cup appearance was conditional, and he did not confirm that he had agreed to join a team or that he planned to play in a specific match.
Dzyuba is the leading scorer in Russian soccer and for Russia’s national team, according to Meduza’s report. He made 56 appearances for Russia, including at the 2016 and 2021 European Championships and the 2018 World Cup, hosted by Russia. At club level, he won four Russian league titles with Zenit, along with three Russian Cups and four Russian Super Cups.
A Landmark Russia Career Ends
Dzyuba’s statement marks the likely close of a career that placed him at the top of Russia’s scoring records and made him a prominent figure in the national team. His club honors, international tournament appearances and status as the country’s leading scorer give the news significance beyond the departure of a player who was recently without a team.
The distinction between ending a professional career and making a formal retirement announcement matters. Dzyuba has said he considers his career over, but his comments leave room for a one-off or limited appearance outside a conventional club career. That possibility is not confirmation that he will play again.
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From Akron to the Scoring Record
Dzyuba’s most recent club was Akron, based in Tolyatti, which he had played for since 2024. Meduza reported that he was without a club after last season. Earlier in his career, he played for Spartak, Tom, Rostov, Arsenal Tula, Turkey’s Adana Demirspor and Lokomotiv, as well as Zenit, where he collected four league titles.
For Russia, Dzyuba appeared at the 2016 and 2021 European Championships and the 2018 World Cup. Those appearances, alongside his national-team scoring record, help explain why his own description of his career’s end is a notable development in Russian soccer.
““You could say I’ve retired.””
— Artem Dzyuba, speaking to TASS
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No Formal Retirement Yet
Dzyuba has not announced a formal retirement, and it is unclear whether he will play again even in a limited cup role. He did not identify an influencer-run team, name a match or say that any arrangement was in place. The available report also does not specify whether he intends to remain involved in soccer in another capacity.
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Watch for a Cup Appearance
The immediate question is whether Dzyuba follows through on the possibility he raised of playing for an influencer-run Russian Cup team. No appearance is confirmed in the reported comments. Unless he makes a further statement or a team announces his involvement, his current position remains that his professional career is over, without a formal retirement declaration.
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Key Questions
Has Artem Dzyuba officially retired?
No formal announcement has been made. Dzyuba told TASS, “You could say I’ve retired,” and told RB Sport his career was over, but said he would not make an official announcement.
Could Dzyuba still play a match?
He said he might play for an influencer-run team in the Russian Cup, but added that he was unsure. No team or match has been confirmed.
Which club did Dzyuba most recently play for?
Dzyuba had played for Akron in Tolyatti since 2024. Meduza reported that he was without a club after last season.
What records and honors did Dzyuba achieve?
He is Russia’s all-time leading scorer and the leading scorer in Russian soccer, according to Meduza. He made 56 appearances for the national team and won four Russian league titles with Zenit, as well as three Russian Cups and four Russian Super Cups.
Source: rss
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