# Ruslan Nigmatullin

Ruslan Karimovich Nigmatullin (Russian: Русла́н Кари́мович Нигмату́ллин, IPA:, Tatar: Руслан Кәрим улы Нигъмәтуллин; born 7 October 1974 in Kazan, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union) is a retired association footballer of Volga Tatar ethnicity who played goalkeeper and is currently working as a DJ. He has appeared for the Russian national team 24 times (including 5 Olympic appearances) and was their starting keeper at the 2002 World Cup. He was voted Russian Player of the Year 2001 and is considered the best Russian goalkeeper of his period.
Also known as DJ after completing his football career.

## Biography
### Retirement

Despite officially retiring from football in February 2006, in September 2008, Nigmatullin decided to make a deal with FC SKA Rostov-on-Don, Russian club from First Division. After playing for another year for 3 clubs, he retired again in November 2009.

### Time in Israel

Nigmatullin signed with Israeli club, Maccabi Ahi Nazareth for the 2009–10 season. His start was a shaky one but his performance improved over the weeks as he acclimated to Israel. Nevertheless, he requested to leave the club in November 2009.

## Honours

* Russian Premier League champion: 1996, 1997, 2004.
* Russian Premier League runner-up: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002.
* Russian Premier League bronze: 1995, 1998.
* Russian Cup winner: 2000, 2001.
* Russian Cup finalist: 1998.

## Career statistics

| Club performance | Club performance | Club performance | League | League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Russia | Russia | Russia | League | League | Russian Cup | Russian Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 1992 | KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny | First Division | 7 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1993 | KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny | Premier League | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1994 | KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny | Premier League | 11 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1995 | Spartak Moscow | Premier League | 15 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1996 | Spartak Moscow | Premier League | 10 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1997 | Spartak Moscow | Premier League | 2 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1998 | Lokomotiv Moscow | Premier League | 30 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 1999 | Lokomotiv Moscow | Premier League | 29 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 2000 | Lokomotiv Moscow | Premier League | 29 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 2001 | Lokomotiv Moscow | Premier League | 27 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Italy | Italy | Italy | League | League | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 2001–02 | Hellas Verona | Serie A | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Russia | Russia | Russia | League | League | Russian Cup | Russian Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 2002 | CSKA Moscow | Premier League | 14 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Italy | Italy | Italy | League | League | Coppa Italia | Coppa Italia | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 2002–03 | Salernitana | Serie B | 14 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 2003–04 | Hellas Verona | Serie B | 9 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Russia | Russia | Russia | League | League | Russian Cup | Russian Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 2004 | Lokomotiv Moscow | Premier League | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| 2005 | Terek Grozny | Premier League | 19 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Israel | Israel | Israel | League | League | Israel State Cup | Israel State Cup | Toto Cup | Toto Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 2009–10 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | Ligat ha'Al | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Total | Russia | Russia | 196 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Total | Italy | Italy | 24 | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| Total | Israel | Israel | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 229 | 0 | | | | | | | | |

## Footnotes

* ↑ "Ruslan Karimovich Nigmatullin – International Appearances". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
* ↑ Nasser, Mahsan (2 November 2009). מסתמן: מאייבי יחליף את ניגמטולין בשער נצרת [Mayebi Will Replace Nigmatullin in Nazareth Goal] (in Hebrew). One.co.il. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
| Preceded byYegor Titov | Futbol Russian Footballer of the Year 2001 | Succeeded byDmitri Loskov |
| Preceded byYegor Titov | Sport-Express Russian Footballer of the Year 2001 | Succeeded byDmitri Loskov |