Zurab Tsiskaridze

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Zurab Tsiskaridze

| image = Tsiskaridze.JPG

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Tsiskaridze with Amkar Perm in 2011

| fullname = Zurab Tsiskaridze Jr.

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|9|08}}

| birth_place = Tbilisi, Georgian SSR

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Agrykola Warszawa{{cite web |url=http://eurosport.onet.pl/pilka-nozna/ekstraklasa/niezwykle-losy-gruzinskiego-pilkarza-wychowanka-agrykoli-warszawa/46vxd |title=Niezwykłe losy gruzińskiego piłkarza, wychowanka Agrykoli Warszawa |website=eurosport.onet.pl |date=4 July 2013 |language=pl}}

| youthyears2 = 2000–2003

| youthclubs2 = Legia Warsaw

| youthyears3 = 2004

| youthclubs3 = Inter de Limeira

| youthyears4 = 2005–2006

| youthclubs4 = Barueri

| youthyears5 = 2007–2008

| youthclubs5 = Sète 34

| years1 = 2008

| clubs1 = Sète 34

| caps1 = 7

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2009

| clubs2 = Miami FC

| caps2 = 17

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2010

| clubs3 = Vancouver Whitecaps

| caps3 = 27

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2011

| clubs4 = Montreal Impact

| caps4 = 10

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2011–2012

| clubs5 = Amkar Perm

| caps5 = 3

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2012–2014

| clubs6 = Jönköpings Södra

| caps6 = 31

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2014–2015

| clubs7 = Bangkok Glass

| caps7 = 4

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2015

| clubs8 = San Antonio Scorpions

| caps8 = 17

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2016–2017

| clubs9 = FK Teplice

| caps9 = 11

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2017–2019

| clubs10 = Eskilstuna

| caps10 = 48

| goals10 = 1

| years11 = 2019

| clubs11 = Al-Hazem

| caps11 = 13

| goals11 = 1

| years12 = 2019–2020

| clubs12 = Al-Jabalain

| caps12 = 21

| goals12 = 1

| years13 = 2020

| clubs13 = RoPS

| caps13 = 15

| goals13 = 1

| years14 = 2021

| clubs14 = Vasalund

| caps14 = 12

| goals14 = 1

| years15 = 2022–2023

| clubs15 = Åtvidaberg

| caps15 = 3

| goals15 = 0

| years16 = 2023

| clubs16 = Husqvarna FF

| caps16 =

| goals16 =

| nationalyears1 = 2016

| nationalteam1 = Georgia

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| medaltemplates =

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Zurab Tsiskaridze ({{lang-ka|ზურაბ ცისკარიძე}}; born 8 September 1986) is a Georgian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.{{cite web |url=https://afc-eskilstuna.myclub.se/site_node/2262/nyheter/rutinerad-forsvarare-klar-for-afc |title=Rutinerad försvarare klar för AFC Eskilstuna |website=afc-eskilstuna.myclub.se |language=sv}}

Early life

Tsiskaridze was born in the Georgian SSR prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.{{cite web |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/soccer/story/1035890.html |title=Miami FC's Zourab Tsiskaridze Jr.'s journey full of twists and turns |website=MiamiHerald.com}} {{dead link|date=September 2018}} During early childhood, he moved to Poland where he lived for 10 years in the city of Warsaw with his family. Later on he moved around the globe pursuing his professional career.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

Career

=Youth=

He began his career 2004 in Brazil with the U-20 team with Limeira based club Associação Atlética Internacional and played then the first six months in 2005 with the U-20 side of Grêmio Recreativo Barueri.{{cite web |url=http://www.teamradio.ca/news/story/?id=2641 |title=Whitecaps Add Defender Zourab Tsiskaridze |website=teamradio.ca|date=30 August 2024 }} {{dead link|date=September 2018}} He earned himself a tryout with D.C. United before his senior year of high school, but was not offered a contract by the team, who advised him to play college soccer. Instead, Tsiskaridze left school to pursue a professional soccer career, travelling to Brazil and France, among other countries.

=Professional=

Tsiskaridze spent time with the Kansas City Wizards reserves in 2007,{{cite web |url=http://kc.wizards.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20070310&content_id=85367&vkey=news_kcw&fext=.jsp&team=t105 |title=Win, draw in split-squad scrimmages |website=kc.wizards.mlsnet.com}}{{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} but when offered the minimum salary contract, he decided to pursue his dream of playing in Europe. He spent eighteen months with the reserve and first team of FC Sète, and in 2008 played seven games in the French third division Championnat National.{{cite web |url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/men/roster/players/zourab_tsiskaridze.aspx |title=Zourab Tsiskaridze |website=WhitecapsFC.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214082534/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/men/roster/players/zourab_tsiskaridze.aspx |archivedate=14 December 2009}}

Tsiskaridze was signed by USL First Division side Miami FC in April 2009, after impressing Zinho and the coaching staff during an open tryout. Tsiskaridze had traveled all the way from France for the event.{{cite web |url=http://www.miamifc.com/article_info.php?articles_id=316 |title=Miami FC announces latest roster moves |website=MiamiFC.com |date=13 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421044832/http://www.miamifc.com/article_info.php?articles_id=316 |archivedate=21 April 2009 |quote=Zourab 'Zee' Tsiskaridze}}{{cite web |url=http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/128677101 |title=Miami FC sets its roster |website=AmericanChronicle.com |access-date=1 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308031003/http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/128677101 |archive-date=8 March 2012 |url-status=dead}} He played 18 games and scored one goal for Miami in his first season in the league.{{cite web |url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature02261001.aspx |title=Meet 'Caps defender Zourab Tsiskaridze |website=WhitecapsFC.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907032311/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature02261001.aspx |archivedate=7 September 2010 }} On 2 December 2009, he signed a one-year contract with Vancouver Whitecaps.{{cite web |url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature12010901.aspx |title=Whitecaps add Zourab Tsiskaridze |website=WhitecapsFC.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214082440/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature12010901.aspx |archivedate=14 December 2009}}

On 19 October 2010, the Vancouver Whitecaps released Tsiskaridze, along with five fellow players, citing their need to purge certain players in preparation for their upcoming promotion to Major League Soccer.{{cite web |url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/Whitecaps+release+players+franchise+clears+room+worthy+talent/3696596/story.html |title=Vancouver Whitecaps release six players as franchise clears room for MLS-worthy talent |website=VancouverSun.com}} {{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On 17 February 2011, he signed a new contract with Montreal Impact for the last season of the club in NASL, before the entry of the Impact in the MLS in 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4155222 |title=Tsiskaridze and Kreamalmeyer Join Impact |website=OurSportsCentral.com |date=17 February 2011}} After spending a season in the Russian Premier League he signed a short-term contract with Swedish Superettan club Jönköpings Södra IF in the summer of 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.j-sodra.se/web/Tsiskaridze_klar_for_J-Sodra_och_Corea_ar_spelklar.aspx |title=Tsiskaridze klar för J-Södra och Corea är spelklar |website=j-sodra.se |language=sv}} {{dead link|date=September 2018}} At the end of the season he extended his contract for one more year.{{cite web |url=http://www.j-sodra.se/web/Christer_och_Zourab_klara_for_J-Sodra.aspx |title=Christer och Zourab klara för J-Södra |website=j-sodra.se |language=sv}} {{dead link|date=September 2018}}

Personal life

He speaks 7 languages, and ironically, Georgian isn't one of them, as he barely speaks it. He speaks Russian, which he learnt from his stepdad; Polish; English; Portuguese; Spanish; Czech; and French.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/golovin/2811822.html|title = Поговорили с нетипичным футболистом: знает 7 языков, критикует русских игроков за раздутое эго, ненавидит политиков, ел стрекозу| date=6 August 2020 }}

His mother was a ballerina, while his father was an opera singer. He is relatives with the ballet dancer Nikolay Tsiskaridze.

During the perestroika, he moved to Poland with his mum and stepdad, while his biological father moved to the United States. Later, he moved to live with his biological father, and graduated school in American.

Career stats

rowspan=2 width=10%\| Team !rowspan=2 width=7%\| Season !rowspan=2 width=7%\| League !colspan=3 width=10%\| Domestic League !colspan=3 width=10%\| Domestic Playoffs !colspan=3 width=10%\| Domestic Cup¹ !colspan=3 width=10%\| Concacaf Competition² !colspan=3 width=10%\| Total
class="wikitable" style=font-size:90% text-align: center width=75%
align=center\| Apps !align=center\| Goals !align=center\| Assists !align=center\| Apps !align=center\| Goals !align=center\| Assists !align=center\| Apps !align=center\| Goals !align=center\| Assists !align=center\| Apps !align=center\| Goals !align=center\| Assists !align=center\| Apps !align=center\| Goals !align=center\| Assists
rowspan=1 align=center\|Miami FC \|align=center\|2009 \|align=center\|USL-1 \|align=center\|18 \|align=center\|1 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center\|18 !align=center\|1 !align=center\|0
rowspan=1 align=center\|Vancouver Whitecaps \|align=center\|2010 \|align=center\|USSF D2 \|align=center\|26 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center\|1 \|align=center\|1 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center\|4 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center\|31 !align=center\|0 !align=center\|1
rowspan=1 align=center\|Montreal Impact \|align=center\|2011 \|align=center\|NASL \|align=center\|10 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center\|1 \|align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center\|2 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center\|0 \|align=center
align=center
align=center
align=center\|12 !align=center\|0 !align=center\|1
\| ! Total NASL !! 54 !! 1 !! 2 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 6 !! 0 !! 0 !! – !! – !! – !! 57 !! 1 !! 2

References

External links

{{Cite web |url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/men/roster/players/zurab_tsiskaridze.aspx |title=Zurab Tsiskaridze – Vancouver Whitecaps bio (whitecapsfc.com) |access-date=26 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620012601/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/men/roster/players/zurab_tsiskaridze.aspx |archive-date=20 June 2010 |url-status=bot: unknown}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170905005541/http://www.miamifc.com/player.php?id=87&osCsid=&seasid=5&tseasid=1 Miami FC bio (miamifc.com)]
{{SvFF player|id=dd9eecd6-8dfd-4401-b686-9587f03e0f61|fid=987123|pid=7654|name=Zourab Tsiskaridze}}
[http://fotbolltransfers.com/site/player/4702 Zurab Tsiskaridze] at Fotbolltransfers.com {{in lang|sv}}
[https://www.eurosport.com/football/zurab-tsiskaridze_prs287913/person.shtml Zurab Tsiskaridze] at Eurosport.com
{{Instagram|zurabtsiskaridze|Zurab Tsiskaridze}}

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Tbilisi

Category:Men's footballers from Georgia (country)

Category:21st-century sportsmen from Georgia (country)

Category:Expatriate men's footballers from Georgia (country)

Category:American men's soccer players

Category:American expatriate men's soccer players

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:Georgia (country) men's international footballers

Category:Soccer players from Virginia

Category:Legia Warsaw players