Aleksei Ionov

2.1. FC Zenit Saint Petersburg

Ionov's early professional career at FC Zenit Saint Petersburg began when he joined their top team in 2007. Although he did not make any league appearances that season, he demonstrated his potential in the 2007-08 UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League), featuring in three matches and scoring two goals while providing one assist. His contributions were part of Zenit's triumphant campaign, where they ultimately won the trophy. In the 2010-11 UEFA Europa League, he continued to impress, scoring two goals in victories against HNK Hajduk Split (3-2) and RSC Anderlecht (3-1).

Ionov achieved his first Russian Premier League goal on April 17, 2011, during the fifth round of the 2011-12 season in a match against FC Amkar Perm, though Zenit lost 1-3. On June 14, in a match against FC Rostov, he scored a goal just 12 seconds into the game, following a pass from Danko Lazović into the penalty area. This goal set a record as the fastest in Zenit's history. He departed from Zenit on January 10, 2012.

2.2. FC Kuban Krasnodar

Following his departure from Zenit, Ionov signed a three-year contract with FC Kuban Krasnodar on January 10, 2012. During the 2012-13 Russian Premier League season, he became a regular starter for the team, playing a crucial role in their campaign. His performance was instrumental in helping Kuban secure qualification for the UEFA Europa League, marking a significant contribution to the club's European aspirations.

2.3. FC Anzhi Makhachkala

Ionov's strong performances at Kuban Krasnodar led to a transfer to FC Anzhi Makhachkala on June 3, 2013, for a fee of 5.00 M EUR. He signed a four-year contract with the club. However, his tenure at Anzhi was brief. Due to significant financial restructuring and a reduction in the club's budget, Ionov departed Anzhi on August 29, 2013. He moved to FC Dynamo Moscow along with his teammates Christopher Samba and Vladimir Gabulov.

2.4. FC Dynamo Moscow

After a short period at Anzhi, Aleksei Ionov joined FC Dynamo Moscow on August 29, 2013. During his time with Dynamo, he made a substantial impact, contributing significantly to the team's performance. He played in a total of 81 league matches, scoring 18 goals, and also featured in 14 European matches, netting 4 goals. His period at Dynamo included the 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and a brief part of the 2017-18 seasons.

2.5. PFC CSKA Moscow

In June 2016, Ionov moved to PFC CSKA Moscow on a season-long loan deal. During his loan spell, he continued to showcase his abilities, making 24 league appearances and scoring 3 goals. He also participated in 3 European matches for CSKA, further adding to his experience in top-tier competitions.

2.6. FC Rostov

On August 31, 2017, Aleksei Ionov signed a three-year contract with FC Rostov. He played a key role during his first tenure with the club, which lasted until October 2020. His contributions included 80 league appearances and 18 goals across several seasons. Ionov returned to Rostov on June 20, 2023, signing a two-year deal. However, this second spell was short-lived, as his contract was terminated by mutual consent on December 14, 2023.

2.7. FC Krasnodar

On October 15, 2020, Ionov transferred to FC Krasnodar, signing a 2.5-year contract. He played for Krasnodar until June 2023, making 70 league appearances and scoring 13 goals. His time there also included 13 cup appearances and 2 European appearances.

2.8. FC Ural Yekaterinburg

Aleksei Ionov's most recent club transfer saw him sign with FC Ural Yekaterinburg on February 22, 2024. As of his joining, he began his activities with the team, contributing to their league and cup matches.

3.1. Youth National Teams

Ionov's international journey began with Russia's youth national teams. He was part of the Russia U-17 squad from 2006 to 2008, making 4 appearances. Subsequently, he played for the Russia U-21 side from 2009 to 2010, earning 11 caps and scoring 1 goal. He was a key member of the Russia U-21 team that competed in the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification. Additionally, he represented the Russia B team from 2011 to 2012, where he made 5 appearances and scored 4 goals.

3.2. Senior National Team

Aleksei Ionov made his senior national team debut on March 29, 2011, in a friendly match against Qatar. His first competitive appearance for the national team came on September 6, 2013, in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg.

On June 2, 2014, Ionov was included in Russia's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After a two-year hiatus from international duty, he received a call-up in September 2018 for matches against Turkey and the Czech Republic. He scored his first two goals for the national squad on September 10, 2018, in a friendly against the Czech Republic, which was played at Rostov Arena, his club's home stadium.

On May 11, 2021, he was named in the preliminary extended 30-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. He was subsequently included in the final squad announced on June 2, 2021. Despite being part of the team, he did not feature in any of Russia's games as the team was eliminated in the group stage of the tournament. Overall, Ionov has accumulated 39 international caps, scoring 4 goals for the senior national team between 2011 and 2021.

5.1. Club Statistics

5.2. International Statistics

5.3. International Goals