Ruslan Baltiev Kazakh footballer, midfielder Date of Birth: 16.09.1978 Country: Kazakhstan

Biography of Ruslan Baltiev

Ruslan Baltiev is a Kazakhstani footballer who played as a midfielder. He holds the record for the most goals scored by a Kazakhstani national team player, with a total of 13 goals.
Early Career

Baltiev began his career at the age of 18, playing for the club "Kaynar". In 1997, he moved to "Kairat" and later joined another Almaty-based club, "CSKA-Kairat". He then went on to play for "Access-Golden Grain" and "Sokol" in Saratov.
Russian Clubs

In the Russian Premier League, Baltiev played for several clubs including "Dynamo M", "Moscow", "Shinnik", and "Zhemchuzhina-Sochi". In 2007, he signed a contract with "Tobol" and became a winner of the Intertoto Cup. Over the course of 3 seasons, Baltiev proved to be one of the best players in the "Tobol" team.
Return to Kazakhstan

From the 2010 season onwards, Baltiev played for the club "Zhemchuzhina-Sochi". However, on January 13, 2011, he mutually terminated his contract with "Zhemchuzhina". Baltiev then returned to his homeland and joined "Kairat".
International Career

Baltiev made his debut for the Kazakhstan national team on September 2, 1997, in a match against the Chinese national team. On September 20, 1997, he scored a goal against the Uzbekistan national team. And on December 10, 2000, Baltiev netted two goals against the UAE. He holds the record for the most appearances for the national team, having played 73 matches and scoring 13 goals.
Retirement

In January 2010, Ruslan Baltiev announced his retirement from international football. At the age of 31, the player apologized to the fans and cited fatigue as the main reason for his departure.