Aleksandrs Dibrivnijs
Encyclopedia
Aleksandrs Dibrivnijs is a former Latvia
international footballer
, a four-time champion of Latvia
.
In his very first senior season in 1987 Dibrivnijs won the Latvian Cup with VEF Rīga
. In the cup final against Torpedo Rīga
Dibrivnijs came on as a substitute and scored the winning penalty in the aftermatch penalty shootout. Dibrivnijs spent two years with VEF but in 1988-1989 he had to start his military service in the Soviet Army
. During the first months in the army Dibrivnijs still was allowed to play football with VEF, then he was assigned to play with RAF Jelgava, however as he didn't make the first-squad selection of RAF, he mostly played with Junioru izlase. After Dibrivnijs had expressed an interest in joining FC Baltika Kaliningrad
, Dibrivnijs was sent to continue his service far from Latvia - in Irkutsk
. There he played football with the local army squad and attracted interest from the management of FC Zvezda Irkutsk
. He participated in some trainings with the club but wasn't allowed to play for it.
After completing his military service and returning to Riga
Dibrivnijs received transfer papers for joining Zvezda Irkutsk, but he stayed in Riga and joined Pārdaugava Riga which was then coached by Jānis Gilis
. In 1991 Dibrivnijs joined Skonto Riga for which he played until the summer of 1994, winning the Latvian Higher League all these four years. In 1993 Dibrivnijs played his single official match for Latvia national football team
as it beat Estonia national football team
to win the Baltic Cup.
In the middle of the 1994 season Dibrivnijs left Skonto, as after an injury he got very little playing practice. He joined Olimpija Rīga
which had won the silver medals of the Latvian league the previous year but was already on a decline in 1994 and in 1995 finished in the 9th place in the Latvian League and went bankrupt. After that Dibrivnijs spent one year Skonto/Metāls. In his last season in the Latvian Higher League in 1997 Dibrivnijs played with Daugava Rīga
which under the management of Jurijs Popkovs
won the silver medals of Virslīga
.
After leaving FC Daugava Dibrivnijs continued playing football with several Latvian First League
clubs, however his preferences switched to futsal
in which he also represented the Latvia national team, and in later years also took up coaching. As of October 2008 he is the playing head coach of the strongest Latvian futsal club - Nikars Rīga
.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
international footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, a four-time champion of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.
In his very first senior season in 1987 Dibrivnijs won the Latvian Cup with VEF Rīga
VEF Riga
VEF Rīga is the name of a professional basketball club that is based in Riga, Latvia. The club plays their home domestic league games at Olimpiskais Sporta Centrs in Riga. VEF Rīga is the oldest professional basketball club in Latvia and the Baltic region. The club name VEF came from the radio...
. In the cup final against Torpedo Rīga
Torpedo Riga
Torpedo Rīga was a football club that played in Riga. The club played in the Latvian league with good success from 1979 to 2000 when it merged with Policijas FK.-As Torpedo Rīga:...
Dibrivnijs came on as a substitute and scored the winning penalty in the aftermatch penalty shootout. Dibrivnijs spent two years with VEF but in 1988-1989 he had to start his military service in the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
. During the first months in the army Dibrivnijs still was allowed to play football with VEF, then he was assigned to play with RAF Jelgava, however as he didn't make the first-squad selection of RAF, he mostly played with Junioru izlase. After Dibrivnijs had expressed an interest in joining FC Baltika Kaliningrad
FC Baltika Kaliningrad
Baltika is an association football club based in Kaliningrad, Russia. Currently the club plays in the Football Championship of the National League.-History:The club was founded on 22 December 1954 as Pishchevik Kaliningrad...
, Dibrivnijs was sent to continue his service far from Latvia - in Irkutsk
Irkutsk
Irkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
. There he played football with the local army squad and attracted interest from the management of FC Zvezda Irkutsk
FC Zvezda Irkutsk
FC Zvezda Irkutsk was a Russian football club based in Irkutsk. Zvezda finished first in the Russian Second Division East in 2006, winning promotion to the Russian First Division...
. He participated in some trainings with the club but wasn't allowed to play for it.
After completing his military service and returning to Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
Dibrivnijs received transfer papers for joining Zvezda Irkutsk, but he stayed in Riga and joined Pārdaugava Riga which was then coached by Jānis Gilis
Janis Gilis
Jānis Gilis , was the first general manager of Latvia national football team after Latvia regained independence.-Playing career:...
. In 1991 Dibrivnijs joined Skonto Riga for which he played until the summer of 1994, winning the Latvian Higher League all these four years. In 1993 Dibrivnijs played his single official match for Latvia national football team
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
as it beat Estonia national football team
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
to win the Baltic Cup.
In the middle of the 1994 season Dibrivnijs left Skonto, as after an injury he got very little playing practice. He joined Olimpija Rīga
Olimpija Riga
Olimpija Rīga was a Latvian football club that played in the Latvian Virslīga from 1992 to 1995.-History:The club was founded in 1992 as Kompar-Daugava . In its debut season in Virslīga it finished in the 5th place in the league...
which had won the silver medals of the Latvian league the previous year but was already on a decline in 1994 and in 1995 finished in the 9th place in the Latvian League and went bankrupt. After that Dibrivnijs spent one year Skonto/Metāls. In his last season in the Latvian Higher League in 1997 Dibrivnijs played with Daugava Rīga
Torpedo Riga
Torpedo Rīga was a football club that played in Riga. The club played in the Latvian league with good success from 1979 to 2000 when it merged with Policijas FK.-As Torpedo Rīga:...
which under the management of Jurijs Popkovs
Jurijs Popkovs
Jurijs Popkovs is a Latvian football manager and a former footballer.-Playing career:Jurijs Popkovs was born in Kiev, Ukraine. His first professional club was Dynamo Minsk which he joined in 1980. In four years which he stayed with Dynamo he made only one appearance in the Soviet Top League...
won the silver medals of Virslīga
Virsliga
-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
.
After leaving FC Daugava Dibrivnijs continued playing football with several Latvian First League
Latvian First League
The Latvian First League is the second tier of football in Latvia and is organised by the Latvian Football Federation. From the 2007 season, the tournament has been known as the Traffic 1. līga, due to its sponsorship by the "Traffic auto advert" advertising company.-Format:There are 14 clubs in...
clubs, however his preferences switched to futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
in which he also represented the Latvia national team, and in later years also took up coaching. As of October 2008 he is the playing head coach of the strongest Latvian futsal club - Nikars Rīga
Nikars Riga
-External links:* *...
.
Honours
- Baltic Cup (1):
- 1993Baltic Cup 1993The 1993 Baltic Cup football competition took place from July 2 – July 4 at the Kalevi Stadium in Pärnu, Estonia. It was the third annual competition of the three Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – since they regained their independence from the Soviet Union in...
- 1993
- Latvian Champion (4):
- 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
- Latvian Cup (2):
- 1987 (VEF), 1992 (Skonto)