Elvira Todua

Elvira Todua
Эльви́ра То́дуа
Elvira Todua in 2021
Personal information
Full name Elvira Zurabovna Todua
Date of birth (1986-01-31) 31 January 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Tkvarcheli, Abkhaz ASSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 CSKA Moscow
Number 1
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Don Tex (0)
2000 Kubanochka Krasnodar (0)
2001–2003 VVS Samara (0)
2004 Rossiyanka (0)
2005–2007 Rossiyanka (0)
2007–2009 SKA Rostov (0)
2009–2016 Rossiyanka 87 (0)
2016 Rossiyanka 1 (0)
2016 CSKA Moscow 11 (1)
2016 Rossiyanka 2 (0)
2017– CSKA Moscow 61 (2)
International career‡
2001–2005 Russia U19 28 (0)
2005– Russia 100 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 April 2021 (UTC)
In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Zurabovna and the family name is Todua.

Elvira Zurabovna Todua (Russian: Эльвира Зурабовна Тодуа; born 31 January 1986) is an Abkhazian, Georgian, Russian football goalkeeper who plays for CSKA Moscow of the Russian Women's Football Championship.

Todua became the Russia women's national football team's first-choice goalkeeper after making her debut in 2003. She competed at the UEFA Women's Championships in 2009 and 2013.

Club career

With Rossiyanka she has won two Top Division titles and two Russian Women's Cup winners' medals. She has also represented the club in the UEFA Women's Champions League. She is a first-choice penalty-taker in her club, and scored 4 goals in the seasons 2016–2018.

International career

Russia

Todua made her debut for the senior Russia women's national football team in a 2003 friendly against China. She was named in the tournament All-Star Team at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship.

She was part of the victorious Russian team at the 2005 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Hungary. When the final against France went to a penalty shootout, Todua scored Russia's sixth penalty herself then saved Laure Boulleau's attempt to secure the win.[1]

In qualifying for UEFA Women's Euro 2009, Todua played in Russia's play–off win over Scotland.[2] She was named in national coach Igor Shalimov's squad for the final tournament. After missing the first two matches with a knee injury, Todua was restored to the team for Russia's final match: a 2–0 defeat by Italy. She was left disappointed by Russia's early exit.[3]

Four years later Todua overcame a shoulder injury to take her place in the squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.[4] Russia lost 3–1 to France but drew 1–1 with both England and Spain. They were eliminated after losing out to Denmark on the drawing of lots.[5]

Todua took painkilling injections in order to play but underwent surgery on her injured shoulder after the tournament.[6]

On 13 April 2021, she played her 100th match for Russia against Portugal in the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying play-offs.[7]

Abkhazia

In June 2012, Todua made a late substitute appearance in the male Abkhazia national football team's first ever match: a 2–1 friendly win over Russian club FC Krasnodar.[8]

Personal life

Todua was born in Tkvarcheli, but moved to Novocherkassk in Russia when she was seven, due to the War in Abkhazia (1992–93).[9]

In 2011 Todua's club Rossiyanka attracted attention for a bikini photoshoot.[10] Pin-up girl Todua has also been featured in various magazine modeling assignments.[11] A national newspaper declared her amongst Russia's 20 most beautiful athletes in 2009.[12]

Honours

Club

WFC Rossiyanka

International

Russia

Individual

References

  1. ^ Ashby, Kevin (1 August 2005). "Russia triumph after shoot-out drama". Uefa.com. Zalaegerszeg: UEFA. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Heartbreak for women as they win, but go out". The Scotsman. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. ^ Burke, Chris; Mamykin, Aleksei (1 September 2009). "Todua tormented by Russia exit". Uefa.com. Helsinki: UEFA. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  4. ^ Rogovitski, Dmitri (1 July 2013). "Russia take a chance on injured keeper Todua". Uefa.com. Moscow: UEFA. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  5. ^ Bogachov, Vladimir (19 July 2013). "Russia bow out with pride". Uefa.com. Norrkoping: UEFA. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  6. ^ Эльвира Тодуа пропустит остаток сезона из-за травмы (in Russian). Information Telegraph Agency of Russia. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Эльвира Тодуа провела сотый матч за футбольную сборную России". mk.ru (in Russian). 15 April 2021.
  8. ^ Pogosyan, Gregory (29 June 2012). Победный дебют абхазской сборной (in Russian). Republic of Abkhazia. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Elvira Todua – Russian National football team goalkeeper who dislikes Georgians". Georgian Journal. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Cash-strapped Russian team to play in bikinis to bring back fans". Metro (British newspaper). 30 June 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Elvira Todua". Uefa.com. UEFA. 10 September 2009. Archived from the original on 3 August 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  12. ^ Kochetkov, Alexander (20 August 2009). Вратарь сборной России по футболу Эльвира Тодуа: (in Russian). Novye Izvestia. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.