Aleksandr Zhirov (footballer)

For Soviet alpine skier, see Aleksandr Zhirov (alpine skier).

In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Vyacheslavovich and the family name is Zhirov.

Aleksandr Vyacheslavovich Zhirov (Russian: Александр Вячеславович Жиров; born 24 January 1991) is a Russian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Chelyabinsk.

Aleksandr Zhirov

Zhirov with Anzhi Makhachkala in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Aleksandr Vyacheslavovich Zhirov
Date of birth	(1991-01-24) 24 January 1991 (age 34)
Place of birth	Barnaul, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Chelyabinsk
Number	2
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2013	Dynamo Barnaul	75	(3)
2013–2015	Volgar Astrakhan	73	(4)
2015–2016	Anzhi Makhachkala	34	(1)
2016	Tom Tomsk	11	(0)
2017	Krasnodar	0	(0)
2017	→ Anzhi Makhachkala (loan)	13	(0)
2017	→ Krasnodar-2	3	(0)
2018	Yenisey Krasnoyarsk	12	(0)
2018–2023	SV Sandhausen	146	(7)
2023–2024	Baltika Kaliningrad	19	(0)
2024–2025	Akhmat Grozny	21	(2)
2025–	Chelyabinsk	0	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 May 2025

Club career

On 12 January 2017, Zhirov signed a 3.5-year contract with Krasnodar and was immediately loaned to Anzhi Makhachkala for the rest of the 2016–17 season.^[1]

He was released from his Krasnodar contract by mutual consent on 12 February 2018,^[2] signing with the second-tier Yenisey Krasnoyarsk the next day.^[3]

On 12 June 2018, he signed a two-year contract with the German club SV Sandhausen.^[4]

On 18 June 2023, Zhirov signed a one-year contract with Russian Premier League club Baltika Kaliningrad, with an option to extend for the second year.^[5]

On 26 June 2024, Zhirov joined Akhmat Grozny for the 2024–25 season, with an option for the 2025–26 season.^[6] Zhirov left Akhmat on 14 June 2025.^[7]

International career

In September 2020, he was called up to the Russia national team for the first time for UEFA Nations League games against Turkey and Hungary and a friendly against Sweden.^[8]

Career statistics

As of match played 24 May 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Dynamo Barnaul	2009	Russian Second Division	28	1	0	0	—		—		28	1
	2010		0	0	3	0	—		—		3	0
	2011–12		30	1	1	0	—		—		31	1
	2012–13		17	1	2	0	—		—		19	1
	Total		75	3	6	0	—		—		81	3
Volgar Astrakhan	2012–13	Russian First League	10	0	—		—		—		10	0
	2013–14	Russian Second League	31	3	—		—		—		31	3
	2014–15	Russian First League	32	1	—		—		—		32	1
	Total		73	4	—		—		—		73	4
Anzhi Makhachkala	2015–16	Russian Premier League	30	1	2	0	0	0	2[b]	0	34	1
	2016–17		15	0	1	0	—		—		16	0
	Total		45	1	3	0	0	0	2	0	50	1
Tom Tomsk (loan)	2016–17	Russian Premier League	11	0	—		—		—		11	0
Krasnodar	2017–18	Russian Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Krasnodar-2	2017–18	Russian Second League	3	0	—		—		—		3	0
Yenisey Krasnoyarsk	2017–18	Russian First League	12	0	—		—		2[b]	0	14	0
Sandhausen II	2018–19	Verbandsliga Nordbaden	4	0	—		—		—		4	0
SV Sandhausen	2018–19	2. Bundesliga	18	2	0	0	—		—		18	2
	2019–20		33	1	1	0	—		—		34	1
	2020–21		29	1	0	0	—		—		29	1
	2021–22		33	1	1	0	—		—		34	1
	2022–23		33	2	3	0	—		—		36	2
	Total		146	7	5	0	—		—		151	7
Baltika Kaliningrad	2023–24	Russian Premier League	19	0	9	0	—		—		28	0
Akhmat Grozny	2024–25	Russian Premier League	21	2	7	0	—		—		28	2
Career total			409	17	30	0	0	0	4	0	443	17

1. Includes Russian Cup, DFB-Pokal
2. Appearances in promotion/relegation playoffs