Igor Akinfeev, the veteran goalkeeper of CSKA Moscow, signaled openness to stepping into the shoes of the army club’s goalkeeper Vladislav Torop, a sentiment he shared with the publication Championship. The statement underscored a sense of continuity within the squad’s goalkeeping ranks and highlighted Torop as a rising figure trusted by the coaching staff.
“Eli Torop is here, which means he is ready to be his successor, which means the coaching staff trusts him. In the matches he played, he showed no reason to doubt his ability”, Akinfeev remarked, outlining a clear pathway for Torop as he continues to develop at the highest level of Russian football.
Torop has featured in three Russian Premier League fixtures this season, contributing to CSKA’s campaign while still carving out his niche in the club’s senior squad. A product of CSKA’s academy, Torop first broke into the first team on September 23, 2021, during a Russian Cup tie against Zenit Izhevsk, where he preserved a clean sheet, setting a promising early tone for his professional journey.
Within the Russian Cup, Torop has become CSKA’s first-choice goalkeeper, contributing regularly across seven of eight matches and helping the team secure important results. In the March 12 victory over Rostov, CSKA advanced to the semi-finals and Torop again demonstrated composure and shot-stopping prowess by not conceding in that fixture, reinforcing his status as a reliable option for cup-duty and a potential long-term starter for the club.
Looking ahead in the league, CSKA is preparing for an away match against Sochi, a test that will add to Torop’s experiences against different styles and attacking lineups. The ongoing development of Torop under the club’s guidance is part of CSKA’s broader strategy to cultivate homegrown talent and blend it with experienced figures like Akinfeev to sustain competitiveness at the top level of Russian football.
There has also been an unusual, notable remark from a former CSKA player about career aspirations outside football, referencing an interest in working as a courier or taxi driver. While intriguing, that comment stands apart from Torop’s current professional trajectory and the club’s focus on goalkeeping succession and performance metrics across competitions.