Aleksandr Golovin

Russian attacking midfielder and winger known for his creativity, set-piece ability, and standout performances at the 2018 FIFA World Cup on home soil.

Aleksandr Sergeyevich Golovin was born on 30 May 1996 in Kaltan, Russia, and progressed through local youth football before joining CSKA Moscow's academy in 2012. He made his senior debut for the club in 2014 and quickly developed into one of the most gifted attacking midfielders in Russian football, winning the Russian Premier League title in his second full season. Golovin's technical range, vision, and set-piece ability made him a standout performer at the 2018 World Cup, hosted on home soil, where his creative performances helped Russia reach an unexpected quarter-final and made him one of the tournament's breakout stars. That summer's form prompted Monaco to sign him for a club-record fee of €30 million, making him the first Russian player to join the principality club. Golovin has spent the remainder of his career at Monaco, developing into a key creative outlet for the club in Ligue 1 and continuing to represent Russia internationally, including at the 2016 and 2020 European Championships, before the Russian national team's suspension from international competition following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine limited his subsequent opportunities on the world stage. Golovin captains the Russia national team and remains one of the most technically accomplished players to emerge from Russian football in the modern era, continuing to ply his trade in one of Europe's top five leagues years after his breakthrough tournament performance.

Creative attacking midfielder with excellent passing range and set-piece ability

• Champions League (CSKA Moscow)
• Monaco Ligue 1 contender
• Russia captain
• Russian Premier League 2016
• Russian Cup 2018

Club Career

Club	Period	Fee	Apps	Goals
CSKA Moscow	2014–2018	—	81	9
Monaco	2018–Present	£27m (€30m)	206	36
Russia	—	—	57	11