After a successful 2020, Russian women’s football is looking to carry its momentum over into the new year. Despite preseason for the upcoming domestic campaign just starting, major news have been coming in thick and fast for a few weeks now. New teams and new coaches will venture into women’s football for the first time, while some established stars, such as Lina Yakupova, will line up in different colours this year.
A player who has already switched teams—and continents—recently is Yakupova’s former Lokomotiv Moscow teammate Alina Myagkova. The 22-year-old national team defender returned to the United States in autumn to continue her college career with Syracuse. We caught up with Myagkova to discuss her unique career path, the national team, her goals for the new year, and more.
|
First of all, congratulations on winning the Russian Cup! But since you only spent the first month of the season with Lokomotiv Moscow, we just have to ask: did you get a medal?
“Thank you so much, I appreciate it! No, unfortunately, I didn’t get a medal.”
|
You have spent the past two years in the American college system; it’s not a well-trodden path as far as Russians are concerned. What made you take this unprecedented step and how have you adjusted to life in the States?
“It was a really hard and important step in my life because I moved to another country far from Russia. I did it because I wanted to combine athletics and education at the same time at a high level. In Russia that was impossible. Sometimes I miss my country, especially Russian food. It’s much better than American [food]!”
|
US college soccer is renowned for the talent it produces but it is also notorious for its physicality. How have you coped with the step-up in quality?
At first, it was very hard to get used to the physicality, but I understood that this is where to strive and grow as a player. It’s a great chance to learn new things and to play with the best players of my age [group] from different countries.
|
Rewinding to August when you were still with Loko. You played in the season opener against newly-formed Krasnodar and the Championship had just rebranded to become the Superliga. Did it feel any different from previous years? Is the league growing and developing?
“It’s definitely getting better and we can see that new clubs appear every year. The development of women’s football is [happening] at a high level right now in the country and I’m proud of it. Hopefully, this year there will be 10 teams!”
|
With your help, the Russian national team came second in their 2022 European Championship qualifying group, thus making the playoffs. What would it mean to you to represent Russia at the Euros if the team were to get that far?
“I believe that every player has the dream to represent their country on the international stage. You can compete with the best players from Europe and compare your level with others. In my opinion, it’s a great experience. It will be an honour for me for sure, and I’m looking forward to the next games.”
|
On a similar note, Yuri Krasnozhan has just been announced as the new head coach of the national team without having previous experience in women’s football. Do you have any thoughts on the hire?
“With a new coach, it’s always interesting; new techniques, fresh thoughts. You can learn something new because he worked in men’s football, so it’s a new experience which will be helpful for everyone. I can’t wait to see how it will look in the upcoming training camps.”
|
Let’s end with some quickfire questions. Who is the best player you have played against?
“[laughs] It’s a hard question, but the most important game for me was against the Netherlands. They are the best in Europe and the second [best] team in the world. I’m a fan of [Daniëlle] van de Donk and [Vivianne] Miedema and I played against them. I have a picture with van de Donk, which is my favourite. So, that was the greatest experience in my soccer career so far. Hopefully, we will have other games like that in the near future.”
Who was your idol growing up?
“In my childhood, my favourite player was Messi, but now I adore Alphonso Davies. He plays in my position and sometimes I watch highlights of him before my games—that motivates me so much.”
|
Do you have a dream club that you would like to play for?
“My dream club is PSG and I like the French championship in general. I will do my best to play there in the future.”
|
Lastly, the pandemic has probably made planning for the future quite difficult, but what are your goals for 2021 and beyond? A return to Loko to play in the Champions League? Or perhaps a move to the NWSL or a European league?
“Yes, right now is a hard time for the world and the pandemic ruined everyone’s plans. The big plan for this year is to graduate from university in December and to move to Europe. But where I’ll be this spring until July is a secret. Perhaps in the USA or the Russian Championship because of COVID. You’ll see!”
|
We would like to extend our gratitude to Alina for answering our questions and we wish her all the best for the future.
Leave a Reply