Former Russian national team midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov shared thoughts on the playing style of Lokomotiv’s midfielder Sergey Pinyaev, offering a balanced assessment of his strengths and potential developments.
“Pinyaev relies on a classic approach: he tucks into the center after starting from the flank. It’s not surprising, and the key question becomes whether opponents will adjust to this pattern. Will he bring something additional to his game? That’s for him to decide. He has obvious talent, and as long as he keeps pushing forward, there’s room to grow because defenses will challenge him with different looks and tempo.”
On March 26, in a match in St. Petersburg, the Russian team faced Iraq, and Pinyaev found the back of the net. With that goal, he became the youngest goal-scorer in the history of the national team, aged 18 years, 4 months, and 24 days at the time. The previous record belonged to Dmitry Sychev. In the same game, fellow Lokomotiv midfielder Anton Miranchuk also scored, contributing to a memorable night for the squad.
Pinyaev had previously debuted for Russia in a match against Tajikistan last November, becoming the youngest player to appear for the national team at 18 years and 15 days. The achievement highlighted his rapid rise and the high expectations surrounding his development in both club and national colors.
Former Iraqi international Shihab Al-Boesa remarked that facing Pinyaev presented particular difficulties, noting how his speed, control, and willingness to press complicate the game plan for opponents. The conversations around Pinyaev emphasize a player who can influence games with pace and technique, while coaches and analysts watch closely to see how his repertoire evolves against a growing variety of defenses.