A year ago, the same Bridge could still be found in Moscow, but not on big football - on the beach. Now, to ask questions to one of the best domestic players at the end of the last century, Izvestia correspondent Mikhail Shpenkov called him in Spain.
Have you settled in the Pyrenees for long?
As he flew to Spain in February, so far he did not return to Moscow. Yes and no one is still calling home. But I am not complaining. Why should someone invite me somewhere? Man himself must determine his fate.
After all, in Spain, are you also not connected with football in any way?
Yes, I have partners who conduct my business. I do not want to spread this much, because I'm afraid to jinx it. Because it was burned more than once. After all, many people try to deceive athletes not only in Russia - they know that they are quite wealthy people. But now everything is going fine.
Are you still called by the Spaniards?
Very rarely - only experienced fans. I have already finished speaking for two years. And if some 20-year-old player is sitting at the next table in the cafe, then nine out of ten people will come for an autograph to him, and not to me. And this is normal: each time has its idols.
Thoughts on obtaining Spanish citizenship did not arise?
I played in this country for ten years, so there would be no problems with citizenship. But for me, the homeland is Russia. Probably, education still affects. So, good teachers and trainers were in the army sports school. In Russia, I still feel more comfortable.
Do you often see your children now?
Yes, every day. They also live in Marbella. After the divorce from my wife, we did not have any disagreements on this score.
For their father, their mother tongue is Russian, for their mother is French. And what do they speak?
In Spanish, mostly. After all, Sasha and Emma communicate primarily with peers at a local school. But they also know the Russian language, for me it is important. But in my opinion, they don’t speak French at all.
Does Alexander Mostovoy Jr. probably sleep and see himself as a football player?
Yes, in Spain, even girls often get sick with football, let alone the guys. But his son is only 10 years old, and it's too early to talk about his football future. He plays in the midfield, sometimes scoring three and four goals. But I constantly tell him that it doesn’t mean anything. Professional football is a completely different matter. There is not enough talent. Moreover, the football labor market in Europe is very crowded right now - the Black Continent is conquering it. African guys are very industrious, they really want to achieve a lot in life.
What is your daughter passionate about now?
Emma, at her 7 years old, plays tennis with pleasure. But not in some prestigious academy, but simply with peers or with a coach.
Follow the Russian team now?
Well, of course. I watch all the matches with her participation. I hope she can still make it to the finals of the European Championship. Although her chances are at best 50:50.
A few years ago, much was said about the need for a generational change in the same team. Now it is completed - most of the players of the basic structure are not even 25. What's next?
In my opinion, it’s time for the current players of the national team to work out advances. And that is because a lot is said about their prospects, that our football has a bright future. But such PR so far mainly affects the growth of contracts, and not on the results.
Maybe the current players of the national team simply have no incentive?
Surely. What should they strive for? Previously, our players at least tried to leave for Western clubs. Yes, this made it possible to make good money, but there, after all, it was necessary to plow in order to gain a foothold among the seasoned professionals. And now, good money can be earned in Russian clubs, without experiencing fierce competition. Therefore, our leading players do not rush anywhere. Accordingly, their names in the West are now almost unknown to anyone.
How did you feel about the recent history at the Sochi training camp when the team moved from a sanatorium to a fashionable hotel almost because of hard beds only?
Well, here I am on the side of the players. It is good that now their wishes are taken into account. Sleep, a good bed for a professional player is a holy thing. Moreover, football players are often tormented with their backs. In due time, on the contrary, I laid boards under the mattress - I needed a hard surface for sleeping.
Do you have any friends in Russian football?
Friendship has been tested for years. Therefore, now I maintain friendship with those guys with whom I once played in Spartak, primarily with Igor Shalimov, Nikolai Pisarev.
But didn’t you communicate with Georgi Yartsev after the conflict at Euro 2004 in Portugal?
No, but only because we have not seen him since. And if they met, I hope they would find a common language. In any case, I talked a couple of times after the incident with Rinat Dasaev, who worked with goalkeepers at Yartsev’s headquarters, and he said that there was no need to look for those responsible for him. I think so too.
Mikhail Shpenkov