"For many years I have been living, working and playing, dreaming and making plans, knowing that you have been all always by my side," Samedov stated. "All this time I strived to achieve victories and results so that all of you would be proud of me and the Russian football."

"My dear friends, relatives and fans. This is the moment for me to announce that I wrap up with my sports career of a football player," Samedov, 35, wrote in his Instagram account.

MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. Alexander Samedov, a former midfielder of the Russian national football team and Spartak Moscow FC, announced on Tuesday a decision to wrap up with sports career.

Roman Pavlyuchenko, a Russian footballer and Samedov’s former teammate in the national squad, said in an interview with TASS that he regretted a decision made by Samedov to quit sports as he could have played well for several more years to come.

"I have always admired the game style of Alexander [Samedov] and always cited him as an example to young footballers," Pavlyuchenko said. "We have many players, who make blind passes into the penalty box."

"But Alexander would always raise his head to look before passing the ball to locate his partners and then deliver precise assists," Pavlyuchenko stated. "We do not have many wingers today with that speed, clear vision of the field and outstanding dribble skills. He is a gifted player."

"He had a bright career, but unfortunately, one cannot escape the time. We have no Samedov Number Two today and the new generation of footballers is totally different," he continued.

Samedov debuted in 2002 with the Russian football club Spartak Moscow. Between 2005 and 2016, he played for Lokomotiv, Dinamo and Moscow football clubs. He rejoined with Spartak Moscow FC in 2017 having won with the club the Russian Championship and the Russia Super Cup. He is also the four-time winner of the Russia Cup.

Early this year he joined as a free agent Russian football club Krylya Sovetov and booked four assists in nine matches.

Pavlyuchenko also said he believed that after playing for Krylya Sovetov FC, Samedov did not receive a decent offer from another Russian football club and decided to call it quits.

"I hope that the Russian football will have more players like Alexander and our football would only benefit from this," Pavlyuchenko said. "I spoke with him recently over a telephone asking him whether he was planning to wrap up with his career. I kept telling him that he was good to play for another year, perhaps two more, but he wanted to stay in Moscow and obviously did not receive a decent offer."

"If I was asked to choose a team of 11 players, Samedov would have been definitely on my roster. I scored many goals on his assists so I have no doubts about him whatsoever," Pavlyuchenko concluded.

Samedov scored seven goals playing in 53 matches for the Russian national football team, including at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia the national football team of hosts managed for the first time in history to reach the knock-out stage of the world championships, but lost in the quarterfinals stage to Croatia, which edged them out in a 4-3 penalty shootout win.

Following the quarterfinals defeat to Croatia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Samedov announced to journalists that he wrapped up with his football career in the Russian national football team.