Background and career
Aleksandr Anatolyevich Kerzhakov (Russian: Александр Анатольевич Кержаков [ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐnɐˈtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ kʲɪrʐɐˈkof]; born 27 November 1982) is a Russian professional football manager and former player who played as a striker.
He used to be the most prolific goalscorer in the history of Russian football from 2013 to 2025, with the number of goals scored in competitive games standing at 233. He is described as a forward who likes to "drop deep to link with the midfield, expecting players to break beyond him" for whom he creates space.
A full international since 2002, Kerzhakov earned 90 caps for Russia and played at two World Cups and two European Championships. In 2014, he surpassed the record held by Vladimir Beschastnykh for most goals for the Russian national team.
