1. Early Life and Background
Ilya Kutepov was born on July 29, 1993, in Stavropol, Russia. He began his football journey in his early years, developing the skills that would lead him to a professional career. Standing at 75 in (190 cm) and weighing 181 lb (82 kg), his physical attributes were well-suited for a defensive role.
2. Club Career
Ilya Kutepov's professional club career has spanned several Russian teams, from his early development clubs to his tenure at major Russian Premier League sides.
2.1. Early Clubs
Kutepov started his professional career at FC Togliatti, where he made his debut in 2009. He then moved to FC Akademiya Tolyatti, continuing his development in the Russian Professional Football League. During his time at these early clubs, he began to establish himself as a promising defender.
2.2. Spartak Moscow
In 2012, Kutepov transferred to FC Spartak Moscow, one of Russia's most prominent football clubs. He made his debut in the Russian Premier League for Spartak Moscow on December 10, 2012, in a match against FC Rubin Kazan. Over his tenure with the club, he contributed to significant successes. He was a key part of the team that won the 2016-17 Russian Premier League title, a major achievement for Spartak. Following this, he also lifted the 2017 Russian Super Cup. Later in his career with Spartak, he added the 2021-22 Russian Cup to his list of honours. Kutepov remained with Spartak Moscow until his contract expired on June 2, 2022.
2.2.1. FC Spartak-2 Moscow
During his time at Spartak Moscow, Kutepov also played extensively for their reserve team, FC Spartak-2 Moscow. From 2013 to 2016, he was a regular fixture for Spartak-2, which competed in the Russian Professional Football League and later the Russian Football National League. His time with the reserve squad provided him with valuable match experience and allowed him to maintain match fitness, contributing to his development as a professional player.
2.3. Torpedo Moscow
Following his departure from FC Spartak Moscow, Kutepov signed a contract with FC Torpedo Moscow on July 1, 2022. The agreement was for one season, with an option for a second year. This move marked a new chapter in his club career, as he continued to play in the Russian Premier League.
3. International Career
Ilya Kutepov has represented Russia at the international level, including participation in a major global tournament.
3.1. National Team Debut and Major Tournament Participation
Kutepov received his first call-up to the senior Russian national squad in August 2016 for matches against Turkey and Ghana. He made his senior international debut on October 9, 2016, in a friendly match against Costa Rica.
His most significant international involvement came in 2018 when he was included in Russia's extended squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which Russia hosted. On May 11, 2018, he was named in the preliminary squad, and on June 3, 2018, he was confirmed as part of the finalized World Cup squad. During the tournament, Kutepov played a crucial role for the host nation. He started and played every minute of every game as Russia surprisingly advanced to the quarter-finals. Their impressive run concluded when they were eliminated in a penalty shoot-out by Croatia.
4. Career Statistics
4.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Togliatti | 2009 | PFL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | |
| FC Akademiya Tolyatti | 2010 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2011-12 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | |||
| Total | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| FC Spartak-2 Moscow | 2013-14 | PFL | 21 | 3 | - | - | 21 | 3 | ||
| 2014-15 | 21 | 2 | - | - | 21 | 2 | ||||
| 2015-16 | FNL | 24 | 1 | - | - | 24 | 1 | |||
| 2017-18 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2021-22 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 70 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 6 | ||
| FC Spartak Moscow | 2012-13 | RPL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013-14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014-15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2015-16 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2016-17 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2017-18 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 26 | 2 | ||
| 2018-19 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2019-20 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 93 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 114 | 2 | ||
| Torpedo Moscow | 2022-23 | RPL | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | |
| Career total | 193 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 218 | 8 | ||
4.2. International Statistics
| Russia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 0 |
5. Honours
;Spartak Moscow
- Russian Premier League: 2016-17
- Russian Super Cup: 2017
- Russian Cup: 2021-22
;Russia U21
- Commonwealth of Independent States Cup: 2013
6. External Links
- [https://int.soccerway.com/players/ilja-kutepov/150022/ Ilya Kutepov at Soccerway]
- [https://eng.premierliga.ru/players/Kutepov-Ilya Ilya Kutepov at Russian Premier League]
- [http://news.sportbox.ru/Vidy_sporta/Futbol/stats/man_1249409837 Ilya Kutepov at Sportbox.ru]
- [https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=65520 Ilya Kutepov at Soccerbase.com]