Azamat Abduraimov


Azamat Abduraimov is an international football star, former Uzbek football player and a head coach of Uzbekistan Youth National Soccer Team.

Early years

Azamat Abduraimov was born in Tashkent in 1966. His father, Berador Abduraimov, is the best Uzbek goals scorer in the 20th century and one of the best FC Pakhtakor Tashkent players ever. When Azamat was three years old, his father moved to Moscow to play for CSKA.
Azamat started his football career in Spartak Moskva football youth academy. Being in the Soviet Army, he was playing for SKA Rostov-na-Donu and CSKA Moskva.

Personal life

Azamat is a father of Alia Azamat Ashkenazi, American Screenwriter and Director.

Playing career

Pakhtakor Tashkent

Most of honours were achieved by Azamat while he played for Pakhtakor. He joined Pakhtakor three times and spent more than seven seasons of his playing career there.
First time he was playing for Pakhtakor from 1987 until 1990 in Soviet First League, scored 25 times. He left Pakhtakor in the middle of 1990 season to join Spartak Moskva.
Next time he returned to Pakhtakor in 1996, and spent three seasons in the team, scored 37 times and won Uzbek League in 1998 and Uzbekistani Cup in 1997.
Last season Azamat played for Pakhtakor was 2000 when he was already 34.

Spartak Moskva

During 1990 Azamat was the bench player of Spartak Moskva, gaining only three first team appearances. He scored a lot for reserve team during that time, however, he couldn't achieve a first team place and left to Pamir Dushanbe.

Foreign countries

During his career, Azamat Abduraimov become one of the first Uzbekistani players who began playing in foreign countries. He played for different teams in 4 non-ex USSR countries.

Uzbekistan national team

Abduraimov achieved 22 caps as an Uzbekistan national football team player. Most notable of his international appearances was the 1994 Asian Games football tournament in Hiroshima, where the Uzbekistan team won the gold medal.
The most significant of his football career was the goal scored in the semifinal match at the Asian Games against South Korea. The decisive goal was considered The Best in the tournament, as well as the best and the "Golden Goal" in the history of Uzbek football.
Also, he played international futsal games as a member of Uzbekistan national futsal team at World 5's Futsal 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, and became a threat to team Japan, according to next year's Japanese futsal report of AFC Futsal Championship.

Managing career

Azamat Abduraimov played his farewell match in 2002, which was the most incendiary sport show in Uzbekistan. In 2002–2003 season he was "playing coach" in NBU Osiyo. In 2003 played in Uzbekistan national futsal team at the Asian Championship in Indonesia. In 2004 season he worked as a head coach of Uzbekistan national futsal team, whish was playing in Asian Championship in Iran and Malaysia 2004 AFC Futsal Championship. Then in 2005 he spent some time managing Uzbek futsal club FC Ardus.
In 2006–2007 he was G.M. at the Native football foundation In 2006, he graduated from Russia High Coaches School.
On 28 October 2008 he was appointed as sports director in FC Bunyodkor. During 2009–2010 season he was the head coach of FK Samarqand-Dinamo. In 2009 Azamat ranked the third place in the ranking of the Football Coach of the Year in Uzbekistan. In 2010, he received a coaching PRO license.
In January 2012 he was appointed by the Football Federation as assistant coach of Uzbekistan U-22. On 22 August 2012 he signed a contract with FK Andijan as head coach of the club. On 18 June 2014 he resigned from his post as Andijan coach.

Honours

Club

;Pakhtakor
;Mohammedan Sporting Club
;Navbahor Namangan
;Pahang FA
;Al Wahda
;Uzbekistan