Beschastnykh's brilliant year

With the Russian season just under way, Vladimir Beschastnykh is ready for the most exciting few months of his career. The FC Spartak Moscow striker carries most of Russia's hopes for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals after firing seven goals in ten qualifying matches, and he will also be expected to lead his club to a sixth successive Russian Premier-Liga title.

A meteoric rise
Since scoring two goals on his Spartak debut as a 17-year-old, Beschastnykh has enjoyed a colourful career complete with spells in Germany and Spain. Although his time abroad ultimately ended in despair, with his stint at Racing Santander ending particularly acrimoniously, Beschastnykh has few regrets about leaving for Germany to play for SV Werder Bremen at 20.

’Ready to go’
"Psychologically I was ready to go," he told uefa.com. "I was young, and I thought to myself: 'if I can play for Spartak, why can I not be successful in Germany?' I had to grow up to understand that you can only show your best in a team that fits your style. I must admit I didn't find such a team in western Europe. If I had spent two more seasons at Racing Santander I would have quit football but I was convinced that I could do better - I would not respect myself if I just walked out like that."

Russian renaissance
Thankfully, for national team coach Oleg Romantsev, Beschastnykh persevered, eventually returning to Russia and Spartak, albeit to a changed football environment. "The league is undisputedly stronger than it was when I first played in Russia," he said. "Now four or five teams are in contention for the title, whereas in the early 1990s we barely had two, with the second team in the race only theoretically so. I remember Spartak winning the title with five games to go. When we travelled to an away game, we were confident we would only have problems if we didn't score an early goal, but we always thought we would win anyway. Now, it is impossible - anything can happen. I have been struck by the quality of pitches, the number of spectators and the strength of the opposition."

So much for Spain
So much so that Beschastnykh feels that the Russian top flight now stands comparison with Europe's better leagues. "We are behind the top five leagues," he said. "It is just that we don't really have quality players from abroad - our league is based on Russians. I think our league is stronger than the Dutch or Belgian leagues and even the Spanish league is mainly Real Madrid [CF] and [FC] Barcelona. I don't think Russian fans would die of delight if they saw, for example, Racing play [CD] Numancia or [Club Atlético] Osasuna."

A sensational year
As he looks forward to a potentially momentous 2002, Beschastnykh can reflect on a 2001 that re-established him among the continent's most prolific strikers. He said: "2001 was definitely one of the most important years in my career. I won the Russian title and helped Russia to the World Cup finals - all in half a year. Any football player would dream about this. The dream came true, and you can imagine what I feel. We made it to the World Cup out of a very strong group, and the title was won by a narrow margin. It can only be compared to 1992 when we won the last USSR Cup and the first Russian championship ever."

More in love than ever
So how does the Beschastnykh of 2002 compare to the Beschastnykh of 1992? "Now I have fallen in love with football even more deeply," he answers. "Before I left, it was all so easy for me - I played for the national team at different levels, I was praised. I made it to the Spartak reserves and then the first team, but I did not understand that it was all just luck. Now I know there are moments in our lives when you will just be tucked under someone's belt, and you'll not be able to do anything about it. Now I value everyday I spend at Spartak or the national team. I hail every single day - I treat it as a unique occasion."

No time for losers
Beschastnykh is certainly determined to enjoy the World Cup. "It is still a long way to Japan," he said. "We will play some friendlies and get ourselves ready. I hope we don't lose anybody through injuries. I cannot tell, but I am sure we will not let the fans down. The Olympic principle about participating rather than winning is not for us. We want to win."