After joiningAkademiya Tolyatti in 2006, he remained there for two seasons before transferring to CSKA Moscow. Following a successfuldebut season in the Russian Premier League, he won the award for Best Young Player in the league and made his way into the Russian national team. He is regarded as a star in his nativeNorth Ossetia.[2]
Dzagoev (born Zagoshvili[3]), the younger of two sons of Yelizbar (who is commonly referred to as Tariel) and Lyana, was born and raised inBeslan,North Ossetia–Alania, to which his family, ethnicOssetians fromGeorgia,[2] moved in 1989.[4] He played football on the streets with his brotherGela right up to the second grade of elementary school, when their mother, a passionate football fan, brought them to the Terek Beslan youth team.[5]
In July 2012, Dzagoev married Zarema Abayeva, who is originally from North Ossetia-Alania's capital,Vladikavkaz.[7] They have two children - Elana (born 2013) and Khetag (born 2016).[8][9]
Dzagoev signed forCSKA Moscow before the start of the2008 Russian Premier League season.[11] His first appearance was as a substitute in a match againstLuch. A couple of games later, he appeared in the starting lineup in the home match againstFC Khimki and managed to score a goal and two assists. He was also a starter when the team won the2008 Russian Cup final. In the round 13 game against bitter rivalsSpartak Moscow, Dzagoev made three assists, helping CSKA to secure a 5–1 victory and since then he has become an undisputed member of the first eleven. Dzagoev was also the man of the match when he scored two goals in a 1–3 away victory againstUEFA Cup winnersZenit Saint Petersburg.[citation needed]
At the end of the 2008 season, Dzagoev was chosen as Best Young Player of the Year by theRussian Football Union.[12] In October 2008, it was reported thatReal Madrid were interested in signing the player, but it was not confirmed. In the 2008 season Dzagoev played 29 matches and scored 13 goals.[citation needed] Dzagoev scored from a very tight angle during aChampions League match againstManchester United on 4 November 2009, which finished 3–3.[13] In 2009 season he played 40 matches and scored 10 goals.[citation needed]
On 2 December 2010, Dzagoev provided an assist forSekou Oliseh and later added a cool finish as CSKA defeatedLausanne-Sports 5–1 in their penultimate group game, securing first place in Group F of theEuropa League.[14] In the final group game againstSparta Prague on 15 December, Dzagoev scored the opening goal as CSKA dropped their first points of their European campaign, succumbing to a 1–1 draw.[15]
On 24 September 2011, Dzagoev scored the winning goal of a 3–1Premier League victory overVolga Nizhny Novgorod.[16] Three days later, Dzagoev scored a 45th-minute goal againstInternazionale and a later strike fromVágner Love put the hosts level, until a late goal fromMauro Zárate gave the Italians a 3–2 victory.[17] Dzagoev provided the cross from which CSKA debutantPontus Wernbloom netted the equalizer in their 1–1 draw againstReal Madrid in their first legRound of 16 clash on 21 February 2012.[18] In the 2012–13 season CSKA won the Russian Premier League title and Dzagoev was considered by some to be the bestleft midfielder.[19] In 2013/2014 season CSKA became the champion of Russian Premier League again and Dzagoev played 23 matches and scored 3 goals in all competitions.[citation needed]
The 2015–16 season became one of the best in his career. On 21 May 2016 in the last match of Premier League with Rubin Dzagoev scored the winning goal and CSKA won another Russian Premier League title.[20] In this season he played 43 matches, scores 8 goals and 11 assists in all club competitions.[21] Dzagoev scored twice in the2016–17 UEFA Champions League group stage, againstBayer Leverkusen[22] andTottenham Hotspur though the Moscow club exited Europe at this stage.[23]
Having been sidelined with injury for much of 2017–18, Dzagoev returned to the CSKA side as a substitute in a Champions League match withFC Basel, scoring the goal atSt. Jakob-Park.[24]
On 21 June 2019, Dzagoev signed a new two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2021.[25] On 1 July 2021, Dzagoev's contract with CSKA expired. At the end of the same month, the possibility of extending the contract until the end of the 2022–23 season was announced. In the 2021–22 season, Dzagoev appeared in 20 matches and recorded 3 assists, and CSKA itself was not going to win medals again. In May 2022, information appeared that, despite the current contract, Dzagoev would leave the club at the end of the season. Dzagoev soon denied these reports.[26][27] On 20 May 2022, CSKA's official website confirmed the midfielder's departure at the end of the season.[28]
On 28 September 2023, after his contract with Rubin Kazan had expired, Dzagoev signed a one-year deal withSuper League Greece clubLamia.[30][31] On 21 November 2023, Dzagoev announced his retirement due to persistent injuries.[32]
After a string of impressive performances at club level, Dzagoev was called up toRussia squad for a2010 World Cup qualification match againstGermany scheduled for 11 October 2008.[33] He made his debut as a half-time substitute, at the age of 18 years and 116 days,[34] thus becoming the youngest outfield player ever to compete for Russia, and second youngest overall after goalkeeper and CSKA teammateIgor Akinfeev.[35] Dzagoev nearly earned the team a crucial away draw as he flicked the ball past Germany's goalkeeperRené Adler, but hit the crossbar.[36]
After the game, Russia managerGuus Hiddink stated, "He's gelled into the team very well... Alan is a really clever player with the ability to make a killer pass and stretch the play. He proved that in Germany once again."[37] Dzagoev himself, however, being unhappy with the defeat, labeled his debut "a flop."[37]
On 11 May 2018, he was included in Russia's extended2018 FIFA World Cup squad.[48] On 3 June 2018, he was included in the finalized World Cup squad.[49] He featured in the opening match of the tournament againstSaudi Arabia but was withdrawn through injury after just 24 minutes.[50] He recovered from injury to come on as a substitute in extra time againstCroatia in the quarterfinals. He took a free kick that went brilliantly on to the head ofMariò Fernandes that was Russia's 2–2 equalizer with 5 minutes left to play in extra time. Dzagoev converted his shot in the eventual penalty shoot-out, but Russia lost to Croatia in the end of it.[51]
Dzagoev is aplaymaker, who "enjoys playing behind the strikers".[35] His main position is on the left side of midfield.[19] However, he is versatile, having also played "on the right side of Russia's three-man attack" in their win over the Czech Republic at EURO 2012 in which Dzagoev scored two.[52]
In 2009,ESPN SoccerNet called Dzagoev "one of the hottest prospects on the continent", commenting that he is "quick, good in the air and with exceptional technical skills".[35] He has been recognised as the finest in the country in his position, being declared the best left-midfielder in 2013.[19] He was also named as Russia's "star man" byBBC Sport when they compiled their UEFA EURO 2012 team profiles.[53] When CSKA managerLeonid Slutsky was asked of Dzagoev following a goal against Tottenham Hotspur in 2016, he opined: "it's obvious Alan Dzagoev is one of the top players in the Russian league", adding that it was "not surprising that scouts were watching him and it will not be surprising if he continues his career in one of the top British clubs".[23] Shortly before the last round of internationalfriendlies in the run-up to the2018 FIFA World Cup,The Guardian branded Dzagoev as one of "three Russia players with the capacity to harm top-level opponents".[54]
In the list of 33 best football players of the championship of Russia: 2008 (No. 3 Central Midfielder), 2009 (No. 2 Central Midfielder), 2011/12 (No. 2 Central Midfielder), 2012/13 (No. 1 Left Midfielder), 2013/14 (No. 3 Central Midfielder), 2014/2015 (No. 3 Left Midfielder), 2015/2016 (No. 1 Left Midfielder)
^"АЛАН ДЗАГОЕВ СТАЛ ИГРОКОМ "РУБИНА"" [ALAN DZAGOEV HAS BECOME A RUBIN PLAYER] (in Russian). Rubin Kazan. 2 September 2022. Retrieved2 September 2022.
^Oldalex, Maria (28 September 2023)."Έναρξη συνεργασίας με Alan Dzagoev" [Start of collaboration with Alan Dzagoev].ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Λαμία 1964 (in Greek). PAS Lamia.
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