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Футболист воронежского «Факела» сыграл со сборной Гибралтара

Voronezh Fakel striker played with the Gibraltar national team

Grigory Chirkin was called to the team by the head coach at number 1

For the first time in the history of Russian football, a player from the First League will play for the national team

On March 23, 2023, Voronezh Fakel striker Grigory Chirkin was called up to the Gibraltar national team by head coach Julio Ribas. This is the first time in the history of Russian football that a player from the First League, the second division of the Russian football pyramid, has been called up to the national team of another country.

Chirkin, 22, is a product of the Fakel youth academy. He made his debut for the first team in 2020 and has since become a regular starter. In the current season, he has scored 10 goals in 25 matches.

Chirkin's call-up to the Gibraltar national team is a testament to his talent and hard work. It is also a sign of the growing respect for Russian football in the international community.

Chirkin's call-up is a sign of the growing respect for Russian football in the international community

Russia has a long and proud history of football. The Soviet Union national team won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1956 and 1988. The Russian national team reached the semi-finals of the 2008 European Championship and the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

In recent years, Russian football has fallen on hard times. The national team failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and was banned from participating in the 2023 European Championship due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Despite these setbacks, Russian football is slowly starting to rebuild. The national team is now ranked 35th in the FIFA World Rankings and is on the rise. Chirkin's call-up to the Gibraltar national team is a sign of the growing respect for Russian football in the international community.