Aleksandrs Koliņko
A stalwart Latvian goalkeeper whose career spanned decades, becoming a national fixture through his calm presence between the posts.
Born 1975 (age 51)·Latvian footballer·Birthday: June 18·Generation X
Biography
Aleksandrs Koliņko’s story is one of steady reliability. Emerging from the Latvian football system after the country regained independence, he built a long professional career primarily as a goalkeeper. He spent his most defining years with FC Rubin Kazan in Russia, where his consistent performances helped the club rise to prominence and secure a historic Russian Premier League title. Koliņko was also a mainstay for the Latvian national team, earning over 90 caps and providing a sense of stability during various qualifying campaigns. His playing style was not defined by flamboyant saves but by intelligent positioning and a commanding presence in the penalty area. After hanging up his gloves, he transitioned into coaching, aiming to impart his disciplined approach to a new generation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aleksandrs was born in 1975, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aleksandrs Was Born
The biggest hits of 1975
#1 Movie
Jaws
Best Picture
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Aleksandrs's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1975Born
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1980Started school
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1988Became a teenager
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Could drive
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
1993Could vote
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Turned 21
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2005Turned 30
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 40
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 50
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 51 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Russian Premier League title in 2008 with FC Rubin Kazan, the club's first-ever championship.
- Earned over 90 caps for the Latvian national football team as their starting goalkeeper.
- Helped Rubin Kazan win the Russian Super Cup in 2010.
Did You Know?
He played for Rubin Kazan for eight consecutive seasons, from 2004 to 2011.
Koliņko made his debut for the Latvian national team in 1997.
After retiring, he served as a goalkeeping coach for the Latvian national team.
“A clean sheet is the only statistic a goalkeeper truly owns.”
