Well-known football analyst Gennady Orlov suggested that Cypriot striker Alexander Kokorin could earn a return to the Russian national team. He shared the view with Sports Express and added his own context on the current talent pool in Russia.
Orlov pointed out that no Russian players today match the level of Claudinho and Malcolm, yet he stressed that this should not prevent efforts toward renewal. He highlighted Golovin and Miranchuk as players who prove themselves abroad, and he did not rule out the possibility of Kokorin suiting up for the national team again. According to Orlov, Kokorin is performing well in Cyprus and finding the back of the net with regularity. The door to the national jersey remains open in his eyes, should the right conditions align.
Kokorin first received a call-up to the Russian squad in 2011. Over his time with the national team, he accumulated 47 caps and scored 12 goals, contributing in various tactical setups and competitive fixtures. The broader landscape around Russian football has seen shifts in recent years, affecting player selection and international participation.
In spring 2022, the global governing bodies FIFA and UEFA decided to suspend Russia from all competitions under their control, a move that paused many players’ international duties and reshaped the competitive calendar for the country’s football programs.
Kokorin left Spartak Moscow in 2021 to join Fiorentina, taking his talents abroad after a long tenure in the Russian league. He had previously been associated with Zenit, Sochi, Dynamo Moscow, and Anzhi, building a reputation as a versatile forward who can operate across attacking lines in Russia and beyond.
His recent stint in Cyprus with Aris marks a new chapter, with Kokorin making 20 appearances across all competitions this season, contributing nine goals and four assists. The move has kept him in the public eye and allowed him to display goal-scoring instinct and creative play in a different league environment, drawing attention from fans and analysts alike.
In a separate moment, Leandro Fernandez, a former Dynamo Moscow defender, commented on Kokorin’s outspoken remarks about life experiences and personal accountability, noting the broader media attention surrounding the forward and the provocative nature of some statements in football culture.