Daniil Kuznetsov

A Champions League debut against Juventus came within weeks of his first league appearance. Daniil Kuznetsov played his opening Russian Premier League match for Zenit against Akhmat in September 2021, and was on the pitch in Europe before the month was out. Those were among only four competitive appearances he made for the Zenit senior squad that season.

He had been at the Zenit academy since 2017, joining the under-14 side in his home city of Saint Petersburg and working through the youth ranks until 2020. Zenit won the league title in the season he broke through.

In February 2022 he moved permanently to Rubin Kazan on a five-year deal. The fee was not disclosed; the transfer included a buy-back option for Zenit. Since then he has made more than 25 Premier League appearances for Rubin and scored once.

Two loans have filled the gaps. He spent the second half of the 2023/24 season at Rodina in Moscow, playing 12 First League matches and scoring twice. The move to Ural for 2024/25 produced less: five appearances across league and cup, and one goal.

Kuznetsov has worn the Russia shirt at under-16, under-18, under-19 and under-23 level. In September 2023 he received a senior call-up for fixtures against Qatar and Egypt, though the matches against Egypt were played against that country's Olympic side and are not counted as full internationals. He has yet to make an official senior debut.