Daler Kuziaev: 'Ligue 1 Uber Eats is very competitive' | OneFootball

Russia star Daler Kuziaev explains why he left Zenit St Petersburg for Le Havre AC. His adaptation, the role of Mathieu Bodmer and Dejan Lovren... Interview.

After six years at Zenit, a club that helped you establish yourself in the Russian national team, how did you choose to join AC Le Havre?

"I chose HAC for a number of reasons. First of all, I wanted to play in a big league and Ligue 1 Uber Eats is very competitive. Secondly, the managers at Le Havre made it clear that they wanted me to come. I saw that it was a very well-structured club, professional in every respect. And when my father and I spoke to HAC, we were impressed by the precision of their approach and their knowledge of my game... We got behind the project straight away."

What role did Mathieu Bodmer play in your signing?

"He played a central role in my discussions with the club. Mathieu is a very good person. He was a great player and today he's doing very well in his new role as sporting director, having managed to get HAC back into Ligue 1 Uber Eats."

'I wanted to go higher'

HAC has one of the youngest squads in the league. A more experienced profile like yours is therefore all the more valuable...

"Yes, there are certainly a lot of young players in the squad. The directors and staff were looking to bring in a bit more experience and that was probably another reason for recruiting me. But when we talked, it was mainly a question of where I was going to play on the pitch, what was expected of me in the game... Just because I have more experience than some of my team-mates doesn't mean I've got any guarantees, that's not how it works at any club. You have to prove yourself on the pitch, in matches and in training."

You're one of Russia's best players and, as I mentioned earlier, you've got quite a pedigree, with almost 50 caps for the national team and a great track record with Zenit... What do you say to those who are surprised to see you at Le Havre today?

"I know that a lot of people were surprised to see me leave Zenit for Le Havre, but I've also received a lot of positive feedback. A lot of people have understood my decision. They know that I spent almost ten years in the Russian league and that I needed a new challenge. I wanted to go further afield and discover a new country, a new culture... there are so many reasons why I'm very happy at Le Havre today."

Had you been thinking about leaving Russia to experience a new championship for a long time?

"Three years ago, I'd already given a lot of thought to moving to one of the big five leagues. It didn't come out of the blue. I took the time to weigh up the pros and cons, to think about whether or not I should leave my country and which league I should sign for. It wasn't an easy process for me and my family, because I'd just had six fantastic seasons at Zenit and I was on very good terms with everyone. But we came to the conclusion that it was time to look at something else and this opportunity to sign in France arrived... I really wanted to play in a top-five league and everyone knows the reputation of French football. Les Bleus won the 2018 World Cup and they went to the final in 2022, so that says a lot!"

'My main quality? I work hard!'

In Russia, what image do people have of the French league?

"The Russians are very familiar with Ligue 1 Uber Eats and they know that it's a very tough league physically. In fact, I was able to see that for myself from my first training session here! There are a lot of strong players and even the younger ones are physically ready. But that's good, it's the perfect school for me, and it's going to help me adapt more quickly. Getting back to the image of the French league, the Russians have been following it even more since Aleksandr Golovin arrived at Monaco. His matches are regularly broadcast, as are those of PSG of course. My coach at Zenit, Sergei Semak, also played in Paris. When I spoke to him about the possibility of signing here, he had nothing but good things to say about his experience in France."

For those who haven't seen you play yet, can you describe your style?

"I'm a central midfielder, more of a box-to-box player, but I can play anywhere. I think I've played in every position except goalkeeper! My main quality is that I work hard. I've also got a great mind, I think. On the pitch, I fight every minute. My statistics? It's true that I was lucky enough to score quite a few goals last season [5 in 26 Russian D1 games]."

What would a successful season look like for HAC?

"The club is back in Ligue 1 Uber Eats after a number of seasons in the lower leagues, so the first thing we have to do is beat the drop. We're going to work very hard to do that and if we can finish in the top ten, that would be great. We've got some young and some experienced players so I hope it's the right mix to achieve our goals."

STADE RENNAIS FC - HAVRE AC (2-2) / Highlights (SRFC - HAC) 2023/2024

'I have French lessons three or four times a week'

How are you getting on in France?

"It's going really well. I'm learning the language, but it's not the easiest (laughs)! I spoke a bit of Spanish, but French is another level. To learn the language, I use an app, but mostly I have lessons with a teacher three or four times a week. I really want to learn French as quickly as possible because most of the players in the team speak French. If I want to adapt as quickly as possible, that's the way to do it. At the moment, I speak English, particularly with the coach, or the few words of French that I know, but it's not enough to have a real conversation."

And what about the rest?

"The club has helped me a lot with my settling in, so everything is going well and every day I feel a little better in France. But I have to admit that I do miss good Russian cooking! French cuisine is very famous, but in Russia it's perhaps a bit healthier. At least, that's the cuisine I'm most used to. I miss my mum's dishes, especially those made with buckwheat! I ate it every day in Russia."

What are the main differences between life in Russia and life here in France?

"During my first few weeks here, I have the impression that all the administrative procedures are much more complicated. To buy a SIM card, a car or open a bank account, you sometimes have to provide proof of address or pay slips. It's much simpler in Russia."

'People used to stop me in the street to thank me'

You've been a Russian international since 2017, and you were lucky enough to play a World Cup on home soil in 2018...

"It was fantastic... The more time goes by, the more I realise how lucky I was. We had a great World Cup and we made the Russians proud. It was a big party all over the country. We played well and even came close to reaching the semi-finals, but unfortunately we lost on penalties in the quarter-finals [2-2, 4-3 on penalties to Croatia]. It was an unforgettable moment. After the World Cup, people often stopped me in the street to thank me for the Russian team's success. It was really fantastic and one of the best memories of my career, for sure."

You've been captain of the Russian team at times in recent months. Do you think you can quickly become a leader at HAC, despite the language barrier we discussed earlier?

"First of all, I want to prove that I can perform well in a league like Ligue 1 Uber Eats. Then, of course, I'm going to try to bring my experience and help the young players as best I can. There are a lot of talented players at HAC. I hope to be able to show them that they need to keep working hard, that they need to be patient, and if they can do that, we'll do everything we can to be a strong team."

You've spoken a lot about your father, who was a professional player himself...

"[He cuts in] Yes, and that's not all! My paternal grandfather, who comes from Tajikistan, was also a top-level footballer. My father followed in his footsteps before becoming a coach, the best I've ever known of course [smiles]. He is now sporting director. My brother was also a professional footballer. He had a lot of talent but several injuries prevented him from exploiting his potential to the full. And if I have children one day, I hope they'll carry on the tradition! One of my brother's sons, the oldest, is already showing a lot of qualities. I think it's in our blood!"

MONTPELLIER HÉRAULT SC - HAVRE AC (2-2) / Highlights (MHSC - HAC) 2023/2024

'Dejan Lovren used to make us laugh'

With Zenit, you played against OL in the Champions League and Bordeaux in the Europa League. Do you still have any memories of those matches?

"I remember the Bordeaux game in St Petersburg because I scored! What's more, we won (2-1 in October 2018). In the return leg, we drew there but we were lucky because they largely dominated us. Against Bordeaux, as against OL, I was impressed by the physical strength of the players. They were also very good tactically. In any case, in the European Cup, you come up against the cream of the crop. Those are the most intense matches to play."

At Zenit, your team-mates included a number of players who are well known in France, such as Leandro Paredes, Malcom and Dejan Lovren...

"I got on very well with Dejan. We're still in touch and he welcomed me to France. He's a very positive person, very funny, but I can't tell you all the anecdotes! What I can tell you is that he made us laugh with his Croatian accent!"

>> PLAYER PROFILE: Daler Kuziaev

>> CLUB PROFILE: Havre AC