FC Spartak Moscow

Association football club in Russia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FC Spartak Moscow (Russian: Футбольный клуб «Спартак» Москва, romanized: Futbolʹnyy klub «Spartak» Moskva, pronounced [spɐrˈtak mɐˈskva]) is a Russian professional football club based in Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships (second only to Dynamo Kyiv) and 10 Russian championships (a record jointly held with Zenit St Petersburg), it is the country's most successful club. They have also won a record 10 Soviet Cups, 4 Russian Cups and one Russian Super Cup. Spartak have also reached the semi-finals of UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup.

Full nameФутбольный клуб Спартак Москва
(Football Club Spartak Moscow)
NicknamesGladiatory (Gladiators)
Narodnaya komanda (The People's Team)
Krasno-Belye (Red-and-Whites)
Myasniye (The Meat)
Founded18 April 1922; 103 years ago (1922-04-18)
Quick facts Full name, Nicknames ...
Spartak Moscow
Full nameФутбольный клуб Спартак Москва
(Football Club Spartak Moscow)
NicknamesGladiatory (Gladiators)
Narodnaya komanda (The People's Team)
Krasno-Belye (Red-and-Whites)
Myasniye (The Meat)
Founded18 April 1922; 103 years ago (1922-04-18)
GroundLukoil Arena
Capacity45,360
OwnerLukoil [1]
ManagerJuan Carlos Carcedo
LeagueRussian Premier League
2024–25Russian Premier League, 4th of 16
Websitespartak.com
Current season
Close

History

Foundation and early period (1883–1941)

Starostin brothers, founders of Spartak Moscow

In the early days of Soviet football, government agencies such as the police, army, and railroads created their own clubs. Many statesmen saw in the wins of their teams the superiority over the opponents patronising other teams. Almost all the teams had such kind of patrons; Dynamo Moscow aligned with the Militsiya, CSKA Moscow with the Red Army, and Spartak, created by a trade union public organization, was considered to be "the people's team".[citation needed]

The history of the football club and sports society "Spartak" originates from the Russian Gymnastics Society (RGO Sokol [ru]), which was founded on 16 May 1883. The society was founded under the influence of the Pan-Slavic "Sokol movement" with the aim of promoting the "Sokolsk gymnastics" and then sports including fencing, wrestling, figure skating, skating, football, hockey, lawn tennis, boxing, skis, athletics, and cycling. In the RGO Sokol began to play football in the summer of 1897; the professional football section was founded in the spring of 1909. On 1 August 1920, the football team began to officially act under the name MCS, or Moscow Sports Club.[citation needed]

In 1923, the MCS, later named Krasnaya Presnya (Red Presnya), was formed by Ivan Artemyev and involved Nikolai Starostin, especially in its football team. Presnya is a district of Moscow renowned for the radical politics of its inhabitants; for example, it represented the centre of the Moscow uprising of 1905.[citation needed]

The team grew, building a stadium, supporting itself from ticket sales and playing matches across the Russian SFSR. As part of a 1926 reorganization of football in the Soviet Union, Starostin arranged for the club to be sponsored by the food workers union and the club moved to the 13,000 seat Tomsky Stadium, known as Pishcheviki. The team changed sponsors repeatedly over the following years as it competed with Dinamo Moscow, whose 35,000 seat Dynamo Stadium lay close by.[citation needed]

The flag of Spartak sports society

As a high-profile sportsman, Starostin came into close contact with Alexander Kosarev, secretary of the Komsomol (Communist Union of Youth) who already had a strong influence on sport and wanted to extend it. In November 1934, with funding from Promkooperatsiia, Kosarev employed Starostin and his brothers to develop his team to make it more powerful. Again the team changed its name, this time to "Spartak Moscow" (the name Spartak means "Spartacus", a gladiator who led an uprising against Ancient Rome).[citation needed]

The club founders, four Starostin brothers, played a big role in the formation of the team. The Starostins played for the red-whites in the 1930s but right before World War II they were subjected to repression as the leaders of the most hated[clarification needed] team by the state authorities. Elder brother Nikolai Starostin wrote in his books that he had survived in the State Prison System due to his participation in football and with Spartak (after the political rehabilitation, in 1954, he would later return to the team as the squad's manager).[citation needed]

In 1935, Starostin proposed the name Spartak. It was inspired by the Italian novel Spartaco, written by Raffaello Giovagnoli, and means Spartacus ("Spartak" in Russian), a gladiator-slave who led a rebellion against Rome. Starostin is also credited with the creation of the Spartak logo.[2] The same year, the club became a part of newly created Spartak sports society.[citation needed]

Czechoslovak manager Antonin Fivebr is credited as the first head coach of Spartak, though he worked as a consultant in several clubs simultaneously.[3] In 1936, the Soviet Top League was established, where its first championship was won by Dynamo Moscow while Spartak won its second, which was held in the same calendar year. Before World War II, Spartak earned two more titles.[4] In 1937, Spartak won the football tournament of Workers' Olympiad at Antwerp.[5]

Post-war period (1945–1991)

Spartak against HFC Haarlem in 1982

During the 1950s, Spartak, together with Dynamo, dominated the Soviet Top League. When the Soviet national team won gold medals at the Melbourne Olympics, it consisted largely of Spartak players. Spartak captain Igor Netto was the captain of the national team from 1954 to 1963. In the 1960s, Spartak won two league titles, but by the mid-1960s, Spartak was no more regarded as a leading Soviet club. The club was even less successful in the 1970s and in 1976 Spartak was relegated into the lower league.[citation needed]

The following season in 1979, fans stayed with the team despite being relegated to the lower division, keeping the stadium full. Konstantin Beskov became the head coach. He had made his name playing for Spartak's main rivals, Dynamo Moscow). He introduced several young players, including Rinat Dasayev and Georgi Yartsev. Spartak returned the following season and won the title in 1979, beating Dynamo Kyiv.[citation needed]

On 20 October 1982, disaster struck during the UEFA Cup match between Spartak and Dutch club HFC Haarlem. Sixty-six people died in a crowd crush during the match,[6] making it Russia's worst sporting disaster.[citation needed]

In 1989, Spartak won its last USSR Championship, rivals Dynamo Kyiv 2–1 in the closing round. Spartak's striker Valery Shmarov scored the "golden" free kick with almost no time left. The next season, Spartak reached the European Cup semi-final, consequently eliminating Napoli on penalties and Real Madrid (with 3–1 away victory), but losing to Marseille.[citation needed]

Modern period (1991–present)

Initial success (1991–2004)

Rinat Dasaev, IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper in 1988

A new page in the club's history began when the Soviet Union collapsed and its championship ceased to exist. In the newly created Russian league, Spartak, led by coach and president Oleg Romantsev, dominated and won all but one title between 1992 and 2001. Season after season the team also represented Russia in the Champions League.[citation needed]

Problems began in the new century, however. Several charismatic players (Ilya Tsymbalar and Andrey Tikhonov among others) left the club as a result of conflict with Romantsev. Later, Romantsev sold his stock to oil magnate Andrei Chervichenko, who in 2003 became the club president. The two were soon embroiled in a row that would continue until Romantsev was sacked in 2003 with the club suffering several sub-par seasons until Chervichenko finally sold his stock in 2004. The new ownership made a number of front office changes with the aim of returning the team to the top of the Russian Premier League.[7]

Oleg Romantsev, the most successful coach in club history

Spartak has been entitled to place a golden star on its badge since 2003 to commemorate winning five Russian championships in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997. They have won the championship another four times since 1997.

Title-less run (2004–2016)

In 2004, Leonid Fedun became the club's President and second-largest shareholder behind his business partner Vagit Alekperov.

In the 2005 season, Spartak, led by Aleksandrs Starkovs, finished second in the league to beat Lokomotiv Moscow, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Rubin Kazan to the last Champions League place.[citation needed] Following a mixed start to the 2006 season and public criticism from Dmitry Alenichev, the team's captain and one of its most experienced players, Starkovs left his position to Vladimir Fedotov.[citation needed]

Club icon Andrey Tikhonov had two spells as a Spartak player, from 1992 to 2000 and in 2011, before being appointed assistant manager

In the 2012–13 season, Spartak qualified for the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group stage and finished last after disappointing performances against FC Barcelona, Celtic and Benfica. In the league, Spartak finished in fourth place while in the cup it was eliminated in the round of 16 by FC Rostov 0–0 (3–5 p), completing a disappointing season.

Since 2013, the club have added another three stars as rules allowed teams to include titles won during the Soviet era.

The next 3 seasons (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16) were somewhat similar as Spartak finished 6th, 6th and 5th accordingly while the club did not qualify for European Competitions.[citation needed]

Revival (2016–2022)

By the beginning of the 2016–17 season, under ex-Juventus manager Massimo Carrera, Spartak had acquired a squad consisting of foreign talents such as Quincy Promes, Fernando, Zé Luís, Lorenzo Melgarejo and Russians such as Denis Glushakov, Roman Zobnin and Ilya Kutepov. Spartak won the 2016–17 Russian Premier League with the squad, winning most derbies and ultimately finishing with a difference of 7 points.

Massimo Carrera helped Spartak win the first league title in 16 years.

The following season, Spartak participated in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League group stage. Despite suffering its greatest ever loss in a 7-0 result against Liverpool F.C. at Anfield, the club achieved considerable victories, including a 5-1 win against Sevilla FC.[8]

Having finished second 2020-21 Russian Premier League under manager Domenico Tedesco, whose contract expired at the season's end, Spartak followed up with a successful run in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa League, now led by Rui Vitoria. Spartak topped its group, which included Napoli (which it defeated both home and away), Leicester City and Legia Warsaw. It was set to face RB Leipzig in the round of 16, but the club - along with all Russian club and national teams - was suspended from FIFA, UEFA and the ECA until further notice due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the clubs continued to play with themselves.[9][10][11]

On 29 May 2022, in the final match of Paolo Vanoli (manager since December 2021), Spartak won the 2021–22 Russian Cup.[12][13]

New ownership (2022–present)

Longtime President Leonid Fedun resigned after selling the club.

On August 22, 2022, PJSC Lukoil Oil Company announced the acquisition of Spartak Moscow and Otkritie Arena.[14] This occurred after numerous changes at the club, such as the appointment of Spanish specialist Guillermo Abascal as manager,[15] his assistants Carlos Maria Valle Moreno and Vladimir Slišković, physical training coaches Fernando Perez Lopez and Alexander Zaichenko, and goalkeeper coach Vasily Kuznetsov.[16] At 33 years of age, Abascal became the youngest manager in the club's history. It was also reported that Leonid Fedun has resigned as President of the club and member of the board of directors. Under his leadership of more than 18 years, he left behind a mixed legacy. The club had won only a single Russian league, cup and supercup. Second place in the league was achieved six times, and four times the club head reached the group stage of the Champions League. A stadium solely for the use of the club was built for the first time.[17] On September 26, 2022 Alexander Matytsyn, first vice president of Lukoil, became chairman of the board of directors of FC Spartak.[18] Lukoil's top managers Pavel Zhdanov, Ivan Maslyaev, and Yevgeny Khavkin joined the board of directors, as did Spartak's general director Yevgeny Melezhikov (left the club in the summer of 2023),[19] academy president Sergei Rodionov, as well as independent directors Oleg Malyshev and Yusuf Alekperov.[20] Englishman Paul Ashworth was appointed sporting director. In December 2023, it was announced that the club was reviving a second team, closed in 2022 due to lack of funding. It will be entered in the second league.[21]

Honours

Domestic competitions

International

Non-official

European record

Notable European campaigns

More information Season, Achievement ...
Season Achievement Notes
European Cup / UEFA Champions League
1980–81 Quarter-final eliminated by Real Madrid 0–0 in Tbilisi, 0–2 in Madrid
1990–91 Semi-final eliminated by Marseille 1–3 in Moscow, 1–2 in Marseille
1993–94 Group stage finished third in a group with Barcelona, AS Monaco and Galatasaray
1995–96 Quarter-final eliminated by Nantes 2–2 in Moscow, 0–2 in Nantes
2000–01 Second group stage finished fourth in a group with Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Lyon
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
1972–73 Quarter-final eliminated by Milan 0–1 in Moscow, 1–1 in Milan
1992–93 Semi-final eliminated by Antwerp 1–0 in Moscow, 1–3 in Antwerp
UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League
1983–84 Quarter-final eliminated by Anderlecht 2–4 in Brussels, 1–0 in Tbilisi
1997–98 Semi-final eliminated by Internazionale 1–2 in Moscow, 1–2 in Milan
2010–11 Quarter-final eliminated by Porto 1–5 in Porto, 2–5 in Moscow
Close

UEFA club competition record

More information Competition, Pld ...
Competition Pld W D L GF GA GD Win%
UEFA Champions League 122403151173189−16032.79
UEFA Europa League 114592233180138+42051.75
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1810443117+14055.56
Total 2541095788382341+41042.91
Close

UEFA coefficient

Correct as of 21 May 2025.[22]

More information Rank, Team ...
Rank Team Points
135Croatia HNK Rijeka12.000
136Lithuania FK Žalgiris12.000
137Russia FC Spartak Moscow12.000
138Scotland Heart of Midlothian F.C.11.500
139Switzerland Servette FC11.500
Close

League history

Soviet Union

More information Season, Div. ...
Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup Europe Top scorer (league) Manager/acting manager
1936 (s)1st3631212713--Soviet Union Glazkov – 4Soviet Union Kozlov
1936 (a)17421191017QF-Soviet Union Glazkov – 7
1937216853241637R16-Soviet Union Rumyantsev – 8Soviet Union Kvashnin
19381251834741939W-Soviet Union Sokolov – 18Soviet Union Kvashnin
Soviet Union P.Popov
1939261493582337-Soviet Union Semyonov – 18Soviet Union P.Popov
19403241356543531--Soviet Union Semyonov – 13
Soviet Union Kornilov – 13
Soviet Union Gorokhov
1944no league competitionSF--Soviet Union Kvashnin
194510226313224415R16-Soviet Union Timakov – 7Soviet Union Isakov
Soviet Union Vollrat
1946622859384021W-Soviet Union Salnikov – 9Soviet Union Vollrat
1947824699342621W-Soviet Union Dementyev – 9
19483261817643437RU-Soviet Union Konov – 15Soviet Union Kvashnin
19493342176934349SF-Soviet Union Simonyan – 26Soviet Union Dangulov
195053617109774044W-Soviet Union Simonyan – 34
195162813510503531QF-Soviet Union Simonyan – 10Soviet Union Dangulov
Soviet Union Gorokhov
Soviet Union Glazkov
1952113922261220RU-Soviet Union Paramonov – 8Soviet Union Sokolov
1953201172471529QF-Soviet Union Simonyan – 14
19542241437492631R16-Soviet Union Ilyin – 11
1955221534552733SF-Soviet Union Parshin – 13Soviet Union Gulyaev
19561221543682834--Soviet Union Simonyan – 16
19573221165432828RU-Soviet Union Simonyan – 12
19581221363552832W-Soviet Union Ilyin – 19
1959622886322824--Soviet Union Isaev – 8
19607301578523237R16-Soviet Union Ilyin – 13Soviet Union Simonyan
19613301686573440R16-Soviet Union Khusainov – 14
19621322156612547R16-Soviet Union Sevidov – 16
19632382288653352W-Soviet Union Sevidov – 15
196483212812343232SF-Soviet Union Sevidov – 6
1965832101210282632W-Soviet Union Khusainov – 5
Soviet Union Reingold – 5
196643615129454142QF-Soviet Union Osyanin – 15Soviet Union Gulyaev
196773613149383040R32CWCR16Soviet Union Khusainov – 8Soviet Union Salnikov
Soviet Union Simonyan
196823821107644352R32-Soviet Union Khusainov – 14Soviet Union Simonyan
19691322462511554R32-Soviet Union Osyanin – 16
197033212146432538QF-Soviet Union Khusainov – 12
19716309138353131WECCR32Soviet Union Kiselyov – 5
Soviet Union Silagadze – 5
Soviet Union Piskarev – 5
1972113081012293026RUUCSoviet Union Papaev – 4
Soviet Union Andreev – 4
Soviet Union Piskarev – 4
19734301488372831QFCWCQFSoviet Union Piskarev – 12Soviet Union Gulyaev
19742301596412339QF-Soviet Union Piskarev – 10
1975103091011273028R16UCR64Soviet Union Lovchev – 8
1976 (s)1415429101810-UCR16Soviet Union Pilipko – 2
Soviet Union Lovchev – 2
Soviet Union Bulgakov – 2
Soviet Union Krutikov
1976 (a)1515537151813R32-Soviet Union Bulgakov – 6
19772nd13822106834254R16-Soviet Union Yartsev – 17Soviet Union Beskov
19781st53014511423333R16-Soviet Union Yartsev – 19
197913421103662550Qual.-Soviet Union Yartsev – 14
19802341897492645SF-Soviet Union Rodionov – 7
1981341987704046RUECCQFSoviet Union Gavrilov – 21
19823341699593541Qual.UCR32Soviet Union Shavlo – 11
19832341897602545R16UCR16Soviet Union Gavrilov – 18
1984341897532945QFUCQFSoviet Union Rodionov – 13
19853418106722846R16UCR16Soviet Union Rodionov – 14
19863301497522137SFUCSoviet Union Rodionov – 17
198713016113492642R16UCSoviet Union Rodionov – 12
Soviet Union Cherenkov – 12
198843014115402639QFUCR32Soviet Union Rodionov – 12
198913017103491944QFECCR16Soviet Union Rodionov – 16Soviet Union Romantsev
19905241257392629R16UCR32Soviet Union Shmarov – 12
19912301776573041QFECCSFSoviet UnionRussia Mostovoi – 13
Soviet UnionRussia Radchenko – 13
1992--WUCR32-Soviet UnionRussia Romantsev
Close

Russia

More information Season, Div. ...
Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup Europe Top scorer (league) Manager/acting manager
19921st1261871621943--Russia Radchenko – 12Russia Romantsev
19933421112811853R32CWCSFRussia Beschastnykh – 18
1994302181732150WUCLGSRussia Beschastnykh – 10
19953301975762663SFUCLGSRussia Shmarov – 16
19961352294723575RUUCLQFRussia Tikhonov – 16Russia Yartsev
1997342275673073QFUCR32RussiaUzbekistan Kechinov – 11Russia Romantsev
1998301785582759WUCL
UC
Qual.
SF
RussiaUkraine Tsymbalar – 10
1999302262752472R32UCLGSRussia Tikhonov – 19
2000302316693070SFUCL
UC
GS
R32
Russia Titov – 13
2001301794563060QFUCL2nd GSRussia Titov – 11
Brazil Robson – 11
20023301677493655R32UCLGSRussia Beschastnykh – 12
2003103010614384836WUCLRussia Pavlyuchenko – 10Russia Romantsev
Russia Chernyshov
Russia Fedotov
Italy Scala
200483011712434440R32UC
UIC
R16
QF
Italy Scala
Latvia Starkov
20052301686472656R32-Russia Pavlyuchenko – 11Latvia Starkov
20063015132603658RU-Russia Pavlyuchenko – 18Latvia Starkov
Russia Fedotov
2007301785503059SFUCL
UC
GS
R32
Russia Pavlyuchenko – 14Russia Fedotov
Russia Cherchesov
200883011118433944R32UCL
UC
Qual.
R32
Russia Bazhenov – 6
Russia Pavlyuchenko – 6
Russia Pavlenko – 6
Brazil Welliton – 6
Russia Cherchesov
Denmark M. Laudrup
20092301749613355QF-Brazil Welliton – 21Denmark M. Laudrup
Russia Karpin
201043013107433310R16UCL
UC
Qual.
GS
Brazil Welliton – 19Russia Karpin
2011–12244211211684875R16UCQualNigeria Emenike – 13
2012–134301569513951R16UCLGSArmenia Y. Movsisyan – 13Spain Emery
Russia Karpin
2013–1463015510463650R16UCQualArmenia Y. Movsisyan – 16Russia Karpin
Russia Gunko
2014–153012810424244R16-Netherlands Promes – 13Switzerland Yakin
2015–1653015510483950R16-Netherlands Promes – 18Russia Alenichev
2016–171302235462769R32UCQualNetherlands Promes – 11Russia Alenichev
Italy Carrera
2017–183301686513256SFUCLGSNetherlands Promes – 15Italy Carrera
2018–195301479363149QFUCL
UEL
Qual.
GS
Cape Verde Zé Luís – 10Italy Carrera
Russia Kononov
2019–2073011613353339QFUELQual.Russia A.Sobolev – 12Russia Kononov
Germany Tedesco
2020–212301767523457R16-Sweden Larsson – 15Germany Tedesco
2021–22103010812161938WUELR16[A]Russia A.Sobolev – 9Portugal Rui Vitoria
Italy Vanoli
Close

Notes

  1. Spartak Moscow had qualified for the round of 16 as a group winner, but were disqualified from the competition before playing that round due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[23]

Top goalscorers

As of match played 12 November 2022
More information Name, Years ...
Name Years League Russian Cup Europe Other Total
1Soviet Union Nikita Simonyan1949–1959133 (233)? (?)? (?)? (?)133 (233)
2Soviet Union Sergey Rodionov1979–1990
1993–1995
124 (303)? (?)? (?)? (?)124 (303)
3Soviet Union Galimzyan Khusainov1961–1973102 (350)? (?)? (?)? (?)102 (350)
4Russia Yegor Titov1995–200886 (324)3 (42)15 (77)1 (2)105 (445)
5Netherlands Quincy Promes2014–2018
2021–Present
80 (164)10 (15)5 (17)1 (2)98 (198)
6Soviet Union Fyodor Cherenkov1977–1990
1991–1993
95 (398)? (?)? (?)? (?)95 (398)
7Russia Andrey Tikhonov1992–2000
2011
68 (192)4 (20)18 (51)- (-)90 (263)
8Soviet Union Yuri Gavrilov1977–198589 (280)? (?)? (?)? (?)89 (280)
8Russia Roman Pavlyuchenko2003–200869 (141)4 (17)14 (28)2 (3)89 (189)
10Soviet Union Anatoli Ilyin1949–196283 (224)? (?)? (?)? (?)83 (224)
11Soviet Union Yury Sevidov1960–196571 (146)? (?)? (?)? (?)71 (146)
12Russia Vladimir Beschastnykh1991–1994
2001–2002
56 (104)6 (11)5 (28)- (-)67 (143)
13Soviet Union Sergei Salnikov1942–1943
1946–1949
1955–1960
64 (201)? (?)? (?)? (?)64 (201)
14Soviet Union Aleksei Paramonov1947–195963 (264)? (?)? (?)? (?)63 (264)
15Brazil Welliton2007–201457 (126)2 (6)1 (15)- (-)60 (147)
16Soviet Union Georgi Yartsev1977–198055 (116)? (?)? (?)? (?)55 (116)
17Soviet Union Anatoli Isayev1953–196254 (159)? (?)? (?)? (?)54 (159)
17Soviet Union Valeri Shmarov1987–199154 (143)? (?)? (?)? (?)54 (143)
19Soviet Union Nikolai Osyanin1966–1971
1974–1976
50 (248)? (?)? (?)? (?)50 (248)
Close

Nickname

The team is usually called "red-and-whites," but among the fans "The Meat" (Russian: "Мясо", "Myaso") is a very popular nickname. The origins of the nickname belong to the days of the foundation of the club; in the 1920s, the team was renamed several times, from "Moscow Sports Club" to "Red Presnya" (after the name of one of the districts of Moscow) to "Pishcheviki" ("Food industry workers") to "Promkooperatsiya" ("Industrial cooperation") and finally to "Spartak Moscow" in 1935, and for many years the team was under patronage of one of the Moscow food factories that dealt with meat products.

One of the most popular slogans among both fans and players is: "Who are we? We're The Meat!" (Russian: "Кто мы? Мясо!", "Kto my? Myaso!")

Ownerships, kits and crests

FC Spartak Moscow's main colour is red. In 2014, Nike unveiled kit inspired by the club's new home.[24]

Owners, kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

More information Period, Kit supplier ...
Period Kit supplier Shirt sponsor Owner
1979–1987 Adidas Spartak society
1988 Danieli
1989 JINDO
1990–1993 Unipack
1994–1996 Urengoygazprom Oleg Romantsev
1997–1998 Akai
1999
2000–2002 Lukoil Andrey Chervichenko
2003–2004 Umbro Leonid Fedun
2005–2023 Nike
2023–2024 Wildberries Lukoil
2024–present Jögel
Close


Rival teams and friendships

Spartak supporters

At present, Spartak's archrival is CSKA Moscow, although this is a relatively recent rivalry that has only emerged after the collapse of the USSR. Seven of ten matches with the largest audience in Russian Premier League (including top three) were Spartak-CSKA derbies.[25] Historically, the most celebrated rivalry is with Dynamo Moscow, a fiercely contested matchup which is Russia's oldest derby. Matches against Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit Saint Petersburg attract thousands of people as well, almost always resulting in packed stadia. Upon the collapse of the Soviet Union, Spartak's rivalry with Dynamo Kyiv, one of the leaders of the USSR championship, was lost. Since Dynamo Kyiv now plays in the Ukrainian Premier League, both teams must qualify for UEFA tournaments to meet each other.

Since the mid-2000s the supporters of Spartak maintain brotherhood relations with Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) and Olympiacos ultras – a friendship based on common Orthodox faith and same club colours. Also fans of Spartak have generally friendly relationships with Torpedo Moscow supporters, and of supporters of Polish club Lech Poznań.

Stadium

Otkritie Arena
Interior view

Until 2014, Spartak had never had its own stadium, with the team historically playing in various Moscow stadia throughout its history, even once playing an exhibition match in Red Square. The team played home games at various Moscow stadiums – especially at the Locomotiv and Luzhniki stadiums. After the purchase of the club by Andrei Chervichenko in the early 2000s, several statements were made about the speedy construction of the stadium, but construction did not begin.

After a controlling stake in the club was bought by Leonid Fedun, real steps were taken to promote the stadium project, and in 2006, the Government of Moscow allocated land at Tushino Aeropol at a size of 28.3 hectares for the construction of the stadium. The project involved the main arena of 42,000 people with natural lawn, sports, and an entertainment hall for tennis, handball, basketball and volleyball for 12,000 spectators. The ceremony of laying the first stone took place on 2 June 2007.

In February 2013, it was announced that as a result of a sponsorship deal with Otkritie FC Bank ("Discovery"), the stadium will be called Otkritie Arena for 6 years. The opening match at the new stadium took place on 5 September 2014, when Spartak drew with the Serbian side Red Star Belgrade (1-1). The first competitive match took place on 14 September 2014, in which Spartak defeated Torpedo Moscow 3–1 in the 7th round of the championship.

Players

Current squad

As of 18 February 2026[26]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
Close

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries, or held any club record. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Spartak. For further list, see List of FC Spartak Moscow players.

Staff

Coaches

More information Name, Period ...
Close

References

Further reading

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI