Panov: We proved the world champions were beatable - RUSSIA
 |
| Getty Images |
Russia's UEFA EURO 2000 qualifier away to France on 5 June 1999 is one of those matches that will long live in the memory of players and fans, even if it did not feature a trophy.
The Russian national team had made an awful start to that qualification campaign, losing their first three matches and propping up the group table. After a change in coach the team began to string together victories, although they needed to win virtually every remaining match to secure qualification. Russia almost pulled it off, and much of the belief that fuelled their charge up the table stemmed from a victory over the reigning world champions on their home turf. That famous 3-2 triumph took almost everyone by surprise, particularly since no side had previously defeated the hosts at the Stade de France.
The unassuming 23-year-old Zenit St. Petersburg striker Alexander Panov had only recently made his debut for the national team and nobody expected his first two international goals to come against the world champions in their own back-yard. Panov lined up as Russia's sole striker against a defence comprised of Fabien Barthez behind Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Lillian Thuram and Vincent Candela, who had all featured for Les Bleus in their triumphant 1998 FIFA World Cup™ campaign on home soil just a year before. Panov was feted as a national hero on his return from the French capital.
“A hero? That's stretching it a bit!” Panov told FIFA.com with a laugh ahead of Russia’s return to Saint Denis on 29 March for a friendly. “It's just that game gave people hope. We’d become used to the fact that the national team would disappoint. The trip to Paris promised nothing good. I wasn't even thinking about a victory; I was just delighted that I’d be coming up against the world champions for the first time!”
“The French support was unbelievable,” Panov continued. “You can't describe the wall of noise that hits you at the Stade de France when 78,000 supporters are against you. The feeling when the national anthems were played was incredible.
“If ever I'm sad or I want to cheer myself up, I put on a tape of that match and I start to well up.”
Learning the hard way
Panov grew up in the tough neighbourhood of Kolpino in Saint Petersburg. He makes no secret of the fact that he was a troublesome youth and football took him away from a life on the streets. At 14 years old, the boy who would go on to put two past Barthez was selling tomatoes and shoes at a market. He could not break into Zenit's team at the first time of asking and had to play in China PR for a year before earning his shot.
“That game was like the World Cup Final for me,” Panov recalled. “I remember my difficult upbringing and how I sought happiness in sport. Stepping out at the Stade de France to play the world champions is a fairy tale that doesn't happen to everybody, but it did to me.
“You don't usually experience that many emotions over a whole career, let alone in one game. There was joy when we took the lead, disappointment when they pulled it back to 2-1, joy again at 2-2 before complete euphoria when we scored the winner. Wherever I go, everybody remembers that game.”
Panov scored Russia's first and second against the French that day. For his first, the ball was fired across the six-yard box and he slipped Desailly's clutches to strike home. It seemed as if the French had the contest under control at 2-1, but then Panov shook off Desailly again, controlled a long ball and rifled home in the top corner with his second touch. Before the game, the titanic French defender had not even realised that the 5'5 (1.67m) youngster was his opponent.
“When we were walking out, Desailly took my hand for some reason as if I were a mascot he was leading onto the pitch. I hit his hand away and said that I was a footballer and not some little kid. Desailly didn't expect that and was a little upset.”
Growing reputation
The world started to pay attention to the small, sharp forward after the win against France and his goal-scoring performance in Zenit's Russian Cup final victory ten days prior. With a few options on the table, Panov chose to sign for Saint-Etienne but would only spent one season there before returning to Russia.
“I was happy at Saint-Etienne. The coach believed in me and put me in the starting line-up. It was difficult, however, as the standard in Russia was not comparable to French football. Then a new coach was appointed and the campaign against me started, as did the problems with my fitness.”
Panov went on to play for a few more clubs in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, scoring a few dozen goals, but never emulated the heights of that day in Paris in June 1999. His record with the national team was also modest – 17 matches and four goals – but he is nonetheless satisfied.
“It wasn't enough, of course, but it was still a huge achievement for me. I couldn't have dreamed that I’d represent my country even once and I played 17 times. It could have turned out better, but I'm grateful for the hand fate dealt me. Every goal that I scored belongs to me.”
The defeat did not prove to be a problem for France. They made it to EURO 2000 after some difficulty but ended up winning it anyway. In the 15 years since, only Belarus in 2010 and Spain in 2013 have managed to win European or World Cup qualifiers against France in Paris.
Panov is now 40 years old. He's retired from the game and lives in Moscow, where he formed a local football association and organises amateur tournaments. France were the last country to win a World Cup on home soil, but Panov believes his country will have difficulty matching that achievement at Russia 2018.
“That generation of French players were all superstars. They had top-class players in the best leagues in Europe. Almost every player in the Russian national team plays in Russia; for them to become champions at this stage is just unrealistic. A good result would be to get out of the group and make it to the quarter-finals. If we beat Spain or Germany along the way, that would be fantastic. You can win against any team – we proved that!”