Aleksandr Kokorin
A mercurial Russian striker whose promising career has been punctuated by moments of brilliant goalscoring and costly off-field controversies.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Russian footballer·Birthday: March 19·Millennials
Biography
Aleksandr Kokorin emerged as one of post-Soviet Russia's most gifted footballing talents, a powerful, left-footed forward with a nose for goal. His breakthrough at Dynamo Moscow and a big-money move to Zenit Saint Petersburg marked him as the future of the national team's attack. He delivered on that promise in flashes, scoring crucial goals in UEFA competitions and for Russia, including a memorable strike at Euro 2016. However, his trajectory has been consistently shadowed by a self-destructive streak. A series of disciplinary issues culminated in a 2018 conviction for hooliganism, which led to a prison sentence and derailed his career at its peak. Subsequent moves to clubs in Spain, Italy, and Cyprus have been attempts at redemption and revival, a story of immense talent wrestling with professional inconsistency, leaving observers to wonder what might have been for a player once considered indispensable.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Aleksandr was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aleksandr Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Aleksandr's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three Russian Premier League titles with Zenit Saint Petersburg (2015, 2016, 2019) and the Russian Cup in 2016.
- Scored Russia's first goal at UEFA Euro 2016, a vital equalizer in a 1-1 draw with England.
- Named Russian Footballer of the Year in 2017, the peak of his domestic recognition.
- Finished as the top scorer for FC Dynamo Moscow in the 2013-14 Russian Premier League season with 10 goals.
Did You Know?
He and national teammate Pavel Mamayev were sentenced to prison in 2018 for their involvement in two separate assaults in Moscow, serving over a year before release.
He made his debut for the Russian national team at the age of 19, coming on as a substitute against the United States in 2011.
After his release from prison, his first professional contract was with FC Sochi, a club then managed by his former national team coach, Vladimir Fedotov.
He has played for clubs in five different countries: Russia, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus.
“On the pitch, the ball is the only argument that matters.”
