Yuriy Valeryevich Nikiforov (alternate spelling Valeriovych; , ; born 16 September 1970) is a professional football coach and a former player who played mainly as a central defender. He is an assistant coach with the Russia national team.
Club career Born in Odesa, Ukraine, Soviet Union, Nikiforov started playing professionally with hometown's Chornomorets. After one year with Dynamo Kyiv in which he appeared solely for the reserves in the league, he returned to his first club, playing in the inaugural edition of the Ukrainian Premier League.
In early 1993, Nikiforov moved to Russia with Spartak Moscow, being an instrumental defensive unit as the capital side won three out of four Premier League titles, with the player also netting regularly. His first abroad experience came with Sporting de Gijón, to where he arrived at the same time as former compatriot Dmitri Cheryshev (he would also share team with another Russian while in Asturias, Igor Lediakhov).
After Gijón's relegation from La Liga, Nikiforov played five years in the Netherlands, starting with PSV Eindhoven which he helped to consecutive Eredivisie accolades. For 2002–03, the 32-year-old signed with lowly RKC Waalwijk also in the Dutch top level, with the club finishing in a comfortable ninth place. He finished his career in Japan, after one year with Urawa Red Diamonds.
International career Nikiforov played four times for the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1992, as the national team that rose from the ashes of the Soviet Union took part in that year's UEFA European Championship – he did not make the squad for the finals. His debut came on 25 January in a 1–0 friendly win over the United States, in Miami.
After briefly representing Ukraine, also in that year, Nikiforov switched to Russia, with which he would participate in two FIFA World Cups – 1994 and 2002 – as well as UEFA Euro 1996 (eight matches in total, but with the national side always exiting in the group stage).
In 2009, Nikiforov was part of the Russian squad that won the Legends Cup.
Coaching career After retiring, he became a coach, following his former PSV teammate Dmitri Khokhlov as an assistant to FC Kuban Krasnodar and FC Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Premier League.
On 12 August 2022, he was hired as an assistant to Valeri Karpin in the Russia national football team.
Personal life Nikiforov's older brother, Oleksandr, was also a footballer. He too represented Chornomorets (four different spells), and coincided with Yuri from 1989 to 1990.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsChornomorets Odesa1987Soviet First League0000––00SKA Odesa1987Soviet Second League50–––50Chornomorets Odesa1988Soviet Top League10–––10Dynamo Kyiv1988Soviet Top League00–––001989Soviet Top League0020–1030Total0020001030Chornomorets Odesa1990Soviet Top League1703030412711991Soviet Top League30241––3431992Ukrainian Premier League18261––2431992–93Ukrainian Premier League1101044–164Total764142744110111Spartak Moscow1993Russian Premier League2302050–3001994Russian Premier League2625090–4021995Russian Premier League2292063–30121996Russian Premier League1453222–199Total85161222250011923Spartak-d Moscow1993Russian Second League3210––42Sporting Gijón1996–97La Liga38231––4131996–97La Liga27000––270Total652310000683PSV1998–99Eredivisie2514150103521999–2000Eredivisie2931050–3532000–01Eredivisie26150120104412001–02Eredivisie190306010280Total995131280301436RKC2002–03Eredivisie23140––271Urawa Red Diamonds2003J1 League120––40160Career total3693049657912148646
International + Appearances and goals by national team and year National teamYearAppsGoalsCIS199240Total40Ukraine199230Total30Russia1993201994921995811996133199740199840199900200000200170200280Total556
Scores and results list Russia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nikiforov goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Yuriy NikiforovNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 17 August 1994 Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria 2–0 3–0 Friendly2 12 October 1994 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia 3–0 4–0 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying3 26 April 1995 Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki, Greece 1–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying4 28 August 1996 Dynamo Stadium, Moscow, Russia 1–0 2–2 Friendly5 1 September 1996 Dynamo Stadium, Moscow, Russia 1–04–0 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification6 3–0
Honours Chornomorets Odesa Ukrainian Cup: 1992
Spartak Moscow Russian Football Premier League: 1993, 1994, 1996 Russian Cup: 1994
PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie: 1999–2000, 2000–01 Johan Cruyff Shield: 1998, 2000, 2001
Soviet Union U-18 FIFA U-17 World Cup: 1987 UEFA U-18 Championship: 1988
Russia Legends Cup: 2009, 2010
References
External links RussiaTeam biography and profile
Beijen profile