Shahrudin MAGOMEDALIYEV: Azerbaijani football was kept at this limit, which does not exist now
November 17, 2025 10:23
After the match of the 6th round of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup against the French team (1:3), the goalkeeper of the Azerbaijani national football team Shahrudin Magomedaliyev answered questions from journalists, including a correspondent for azerisport.com.
What can you say about the game?
We knew who we had to play with. The opponent was very strong. It was nice to see the stands full. We hit our minimum. Now our reality is that out of the starting lineup, a maximum of 3-4 play in the “first team” of their clubs. Very difficult.
What is the condition of your injury?
This is a chronic injury. I often play with pain in my leg while giving injections. But there was no more strength left in the legs, so they replaced it. You can’t play France with one leg.
Could this chronic injury hurt your future career?
No. This pain gives me strength.
Did the quick goal of the Azerbaijani national team change the pattern of the game?
We made our fans happy. Without them, it would be hard to run and fight like that in this game. Everything is for the fans, although I understand that many came to watch France. Well done guys for fighting so hard.
How do you evaluate this cycle, in which we scored only one point?
If at the beginning of the cycle he would have told me that we would score only one point, I would not have agreed with this outcome. Ukraine and Iceland are strong rivals. Overall we performed well. We could have scored points against Ukraine away and played better against Iceland at home.
Can you feel the difference between Fernando Santos and Aykhan Abbasov?
The difference is in motivation. Aykhan Abbasov motivates us better, he raised our spirit and patriotism. Many of our players do not play consistently for their clubs, and no one wants to discuss this problem. Everyone is only talking about why Abbas Huseynov is being released, because he does not play for his club. Can you find a better footballer than Abbas? Is there someone with an Azerbaijani passport playing as a right-back? In Turan-Tovuz, for example, 11 foreign players take to the field. Do almost all clubs have 9-10 foreign players on the field? Nobody wants to discuss the fact that we don’t have a normal 1st League. But those who were invited to the “millie” are actively discussed.
How bad has it become since the abolition of the limit on foreign players?
Certainly. In general, I believe that Azerbaijani football was kept at this limit, which does not exist now. We should not compare ourselves with France or Belgium, where there are no such problems. We only had one professional league with 10 teams, and only now we have made 12 so that more Azerbaijanis can play. Look how many locals perform at Imishli. We do not have playing goalkeepers. In the national team, only Salakhat Agayev plays consistently in Gabala. No one else. It will get even worse. I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. There is no potential. Okay, I’m taking the field in the Azerbaijani championship because Gurban Gurbanov is thinking about our football. Where should others play?
Abroad?
Where to go? We are not welcome anywhere. It’s easy to say, leave. Rufat Abdullazade left for Croatia. Is he a starter there? No. There are thousands like him there. They prioritize their own. On the contrary, our priority is the foreign player.
What will happen in Division D of the Nations League?
It will be hard there too. Abdula Khaibulaev played 20 minutes in a month, and then goes to the game with France. You can think a little about the national team. We, as Azerbaijanis, will only fight. Azerbaijani football should be for Azerbaijanis and for the Azerbaijani national team.
Ruslan Mikayily
