Russia and Zenit Saint Petersburg’s all-time top scorer Alexander Kerzhakov has called time on his playing career, retiring after 16 years that encompassed two spells at the club and two trips to the FIFA World Cup™.

The striker will take up a role in the club’s youth set-up, where he will oversee the progress of players through the system and towards the first team.

His nation’s leading scorer, netting 30 goals in 91 appearances, Kerzhakov is the only player to have taken part in 2018 World Cup hosts Russia’s last two visits to the tournament. As a 19-year-old he enjoyed a late cameo at Korea/Japan 2002 against Belgium before netting one of the two goals the Sbornaya scored at Brazil 2014.

The 34-year-old won three Russian Premier League titles at Zenit during his second period at the club, as well as racking up 226 goals in 386 games in all competitions for the side, the first of which coming in June 2001 against Spartak Moscow.