CSKA Moscow, the army club

From a ski club in 1911 to the central army club

The CSKA Moscow was founded in 1911 under the name OLLS, an amateur skiing society that also played football. After the revolution, it came under military education oversight, before adopting the name CDKA in 1928, the central house of the Red Army. It became CDSA in 1951, CSK MO in 1957, before taking on the acronym CSKA, the central sports club of the army; the football section has held its current name since 1994. This link with the Ministry of Defence explains the club's red and blue colours and its nickname, Koni, the horses, inherited from an initial pitch established on a former Moscow racetrack.

Russian football

Russian clubs are also represented by:

• Spartak Moscow.
• Zenit St Petersburg.

All clubs are gathered on the Russian clubs page.

Lisbon 2005, the first European cup for a Russian club

On May 18 2005, CSKA played in the final of the UEFA Cup at the Estádio José Alvalade, the home ground of their opponent, Sporting Portugal. Trailing at half-time, they turned the match around thanks to Aleksei Berezoutski, Yuri Zhirkov, and Vágner Love, winning three goals to one: this was the first European trophy won by a Russian club. Valeri Gazzaev's team had been dropped to the UEFA Cup after finishing third in the Champions League group stage. They relied on a solid defence, with the Berezoutski twins, and a nineteen-year-old goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, who later became the most capped player in the history of the Russian championship.

VEB Arena, trained players and women's section

Since 2016, CSKA has played in its own stadium, the VEB Arena, with around thirty thousand seats, built in the northwest of Moscow on the site of its former pitch. The club also recruits young talents who have passed through other training centres: Alan Dzagoev, who was notably trained at the Konoplev Academy in Togliatti, joined Moscow in 2008 and has played nearly three hundred official matches over fourteen seasons. CSKA also has a women's section, founded in 2016, which won the Russian Cup in 2017 during its first season among the elite, and then its first Russian championship title in 2019.

Good deals

Good deals can also be found in good deals, promotions, clearing sales, sales, Black Friday. The new arrivals showcase the latest collections, and items shipped in 24h are prepared and dispatched within 24 hours. The highlights of the year follow a stable order: Black Friday at the end of autumn, the year-end holidays, the winter sales, the French Days in spring, followed by the summer sales and back-to-school period.

Frequently asked questions

Is CSKA Moscow just a football club?

No, CSKA is a multi-sport club affiliated with the military. Its ice hockey section dominated the Soviet era, and its basketball team has won the EuroLeague several times, particularly in 2006 and 2008.

Who are CSKA Moscow's main rivals?

The derby against Spartak Moscow, the most popular club in the country, is the most anticipated. Matches against Dynamo and Lokomotiv, other clubs from the capital, and against Zenit St Petersburg are also very competitive.

Why is it referred to as the team of lieutenants?

After World War II, CDKA, the predecessor of CSKA, dominated the USSR championship with several titles in a few seasons. Its players, army officers, earned it this nickname, which remains well-known in Russia.

Which foreign players have made their mark in CSKA's history?

Brazilian Vágner Love, who scored in the UEFA Cup final, Ivorian Seydou Doumbia, a formidable forward, Japanese Keisuke Honda, and Nigerian Ahmed Musa have left a lasting impression on Moscow fans.

What role did Igor Akinfeev play with the Russian national team?

Akinfeev has donned the Russia jersey a total of one hundred and eleven times. During the 2018 World Cup, he saved two penalties against Spain in the round of 16, before announcing his international retirement a few months later.