1. Overview
Ignatiy Mikhailovich Nesterov (Ignatiy Mixaylovich NesterovIgnatiy Mixaylovich NesterovUzbek, Игнатий Михайлович НестеровIgnatiy Mikhailovich NesterovRussian; born June 20, 1983) is an Uzbekistani professional goalkeeper of Russian origin. He is widely recognized as the most-decorated Uzbek player at the club level, having achieved numerous titles including multiple Uzbek League and Uzbek Cup championships. Nesterov holds the record for the most appearances in the AFC Asian Cup, having participated in five tournaments (2004, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019), and earned over 100 caps for the Uzbekistan national team.
2. Early life and background
Ignatiy Mikhailovich Nesterov was born on June 20, 1983, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Possessing Russian ancestry, Nesterov's early life saw him develop an interest in football, leading him to pursue a professional career in the sport. He is bilingual, fluent in both Russian and Uzbek.
3. Club career
Ignatiy Nesterov has spent the majority of his extensive club career in Uzbekistan, with a brief international spell. His journey has seen him become one of the most successful players in Uzbekistani football history.
3.1. Early career and FC Pakhtakor
Nesterov began his professional football career in 2001, making his debut with FK Samarqand-Dinamo. In 2002, he transferred to FC Pakhtakor Tashkent, one of Uzbekistan's most prominent clubs. During his tenure at Pakhtakor from 2002 to 2009, Nesterov established himself as the team's first-choice goalkeeper. His consistent performance and leadership contributed significantly to the club's dominance, helping them secure the Uzbek League title for six consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2007. During this period, Pakhtakor also won the Uzbek Cup six times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) and the CIS Cup in 2007. Nesterov also played a crucial role in Pakhtakor's runs to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League in both 2003 and 2004. His strong club performances solidified his position as the first-choice goalkeeper for the Uzbekistan national team.
3.2. FC Bunyodkor
In July 2009, Ignatiy Nesterov made a high-profile move to FC Bunyodkor, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. He remained with the club until 2014, continuing his impressive run of success. During his time at Bunyodkor, Nesterov was instrumental in securing three more Uzbek League titles in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and another in 2013, contributing to a total of four league championships. He also won the Uzbek Cup three times (2010, 2012, 2013). In 2012, Nesterov was part of the Bunyodkor squad that reached the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League. His contributions ensured that from 2002 to 2011, he held a winning record in every single Uzbek League season.
3.3. PFC Lokomotiv Tashkent
On December 10, 2013, Nesterov transferred to PFC Lokomotiv Tashkent. While the specific terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed, Nesterov quickly became a key player for Lokomotiv. He was linked with a move to Iranian club Persepolis F.C. in January 2016, though a transfer did not materialize. During his first stint at Lokomotiv from 2014 to 2019, Nesterov helped the team win the Uzbek Cup in 2014 and 2016. Furthermore, he was a vital part of the squad that secured three consecutive Uzbek League titles from 2016 to 2018. He returned to PFC Lokomotiv Tashkent for another spell from 2019 to 2020.
3.4. Other clubs
Apart from his significant tenures at Pakhtakor, Bunyodkor, and Lokomotiv, Nesterov has also had shorter spells with other clubs. In 2019, he joined Ohod Club in Saudi Arabia for a brief period, marking his only venture outside Uzbekistani club football. Following his second stint at Lokomotiv, he moved to PFC Kyzylkum Zarafshan in 2020, where he has continued his career.
4. International career
Ignatiy Nesterov has had a distinguished international career with the Uzbekistan national football team, serving as the primary goalkeeper for many years. He amassed a total of 106 caps for the national squad, as of January 25, 2019.
Nesterov holds the record for the most appearances in the AFC Asian Cup, having participated in an impressive five tournaments: 2004, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. His presence was particularly notable in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, where he played a crucial role in leading Uzbekistan to a fourth-place finish, their best performance in the tournament's history. He also featured prominently in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, consistently serving as the team's starting goalkeeper.
Prior to his senior national team career, Nesterov also represented Uzbekistan at the youth level, earning a gold medal with the Uzbekistan U21 squad at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games.
5. Honours
Ignatiy Nesterov has accumulated an extensive list of honours throughout his club and international career, making him one of Uzbekistan's most decorated footballers.
FC Pakhtakor Tashkent
- Uzbek League (6): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- Uzbek Cup (6): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- CIS Cup (1): 2007
- AFC Champions League Semi-final (2): 2003, 2004
FC Bunyodkor
- Uzbek League (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
- Uzbek Cup (3): 2010, 2012, 2013
- AFC Champions League Semi-final (1): 2012
PFC Lokomotiv Tashkent
- Uzbek League (3): 2016, 2017, 2018
- Uzbek Cup (2): 2014, 2016
- Uzbek League Runners-up (1): 2014
Uzbekistan U21
- Afro-Asian Games Gold Medal (1): 2003
6. Personal life
Ignatiy Nesterov is of Russian descent and identifies as a devout Orthodox Christian. His faith is visibly expressed through multiple tattoos that refer to his Christian beliefs. In addition to his professional football career, Nesterov is known for his bilingualism, speaking both Russian and Uzbek fluently. He stands at 72 in (182 cm) tall and weighs 174 lb (79 kg), with his dominant foot being his right.
7. Controversy
During the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Ignatiy Nesterov was involved in a significant controversy when a doping test during the tournament returned a positive result for a banned substance. Following the positive test, Nesterov admitted to having used the substance for weight loss purposes, stating that he did so without the permission or knowledge of the medical staff. As a consequence of this anti-doping violation, Nesterov was handed an eight-month ban from football by the AFC.