Igor Shalimov


Igor Mihailovich Shalimov is a Russian football manager and former player. During his playing career, he played as a midfielder, primarily in the wide position.

Playing career

Shalimov started his playing career in Spartak Moscow. After a few seasons with Spartak Moscow he transferred to Foggia in Italy. He then transferred to Inter Milan. He has also played in the Italian Serie A for Bologna, Udinese and Napoli, as well as MSV Duisburg in Germany and FC Lugano in Switzerland.
He was a member of the football team|USSR national team] which participated in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he represented the unified CIS team at the 1992 UEFA [European Football Championship|European Championship] held in Sweden. He was one of a number of players who refused to play for then-coach Pavel Sadyrin at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Two years later, in 1996, he was a member of the Russia national team for the European Championship held in England.
Shalimov ended his playing career in Napoli after being banned for two years for testing positive for nandrolone, a banned anabolic steroid substance. He has claimed that an anabolic containing nandrolone was given to him while he was hospitalized in Moscow, to stop an internal bleeding.

Managerial career

Shalimov was appointed manager of Russia women's national team in 2008, before being promoted to deputy sporting director for national teams and selection at the Russian Football Union in 2011.
He was dismissed as the manager of FC Krasnodar on 2 April 2018.
On 5 June 2018, he signed a two-year contract with FC Khimki. He left Khimki on 2 April 2019, with the team in 14th place and three points above the relegation zone.
On 30 September 2019, he was hired by Russian Premier League club Akhmat Grozny. He left Akhmat on 26 July 2020 as his contract expired.
On 10 August 2021, he was hired by Russian Premier League club Ural Yekaterinburg. Shalimov was dismissed by Ural on 8 August 2022 after losing the first 4 games in the 2022–23 [Russian Premier League] season.
On 2 April 2025, Shalimov signed with Fakel Voronezh, with the club in Russian Premier League relegation zone at the time. Fakel was relegated to the Russian First League at the end of the season. Shalimov left Fakel by mutual consent on 29 September 2025 after a series of three winless games, even though the club was 3rd in the Russian First League standings at the time.

Honours

Player

Spartak Moscow
Inter Milan
USSR U21