In a surprising revelation, former Zenit St. Petersburg and Krylya Sovetov Samara defender Alexander Aniukov has named Brazilian midfielder Souza as the best foreign teammate he ever played with. The declaration came during an exclusive interview with Championat.com correspondent Oleg Lysenko.
When asked about standout foreign players from his career, Aniukov immediately pointed to Souza, who played for Krylya Sovetov from 2003 to 2005. "Souza is top," Aniukov stated, adding that all journalists from that era would unanimously agree with his assessment. He explained that as a young player, everything Souza did with the ball left a massive impression on him.
The former defender also acknowledged other notable foreign teammates, including Hulk and Danny, whom he described as "cool" players as well. He mentioned Kasymov among the standout performers from his career. Aniukov specifically highlighted defender Moises, who played for Spartak Moscow and later Krylya Sovetov, describing him as a very serious and religious person who never let anyone off easy—a quality Aniukov appreciated.
Among his more recent teammates, Aniukov gave special recognition to Hulk, while also noting that Nicolas Lomberts impressed him both as a footballer and as a person. He further mentioned Cristian Chivu, Danny, and Križanac as strong players from his time at Zenit.
Souza, the Brazilian midfielder Aniukov selected as his top pick, spent two seasons with Krylya Sovetov in the early 2000s. His technical ability and influence on the pitch clearly made a lasting impact on the young Aniukov during their time together at the Samara club.
Aniukov's career spanned multiple Russian clubs, with his most prominent years spent at Zenit St. Petersburg, where he won numerous titles. His choice of Souza over more globally recognized names like Hulk demonstrates the lasting impression the Brazilian made during their shared time at Krylya Sovetov.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.