FC Zhemchuzhina-Sochi (russian: ФК Жемчужина-Сочи) was a Russian

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

club based in Sochi,

Krasnodar Krai Krasnodar Krai (russian: Краснода́рский край, r=Krasnodarsky kray, p=krəsnɐˈdarskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and administratively a part of ...

founded in 1991 and dissolved in 2012.

History

Zhemchuzhina Sochi was founded in 1991 and named after a hotel which was one of the founders. Zhemchuzhina is

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

for "a pearl". Zhemchuzhina spent one season in the Soviet Second League B (winning zonal tournament), but were entitled to enter Russian First Division in 1992, after the dissolution of the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

. Zhemchuzhina won the tournament in their zone and were promoted to the Russian Top Division. They spent 7 seasons there, from 1993 to 1999. After another season in the First Division in 2000 Zhemchuzhina went straight down to the Second Division. The club was disbanded after the 2003 season due to financial problems. In 2004, a new club, Sochi-04, was formed in place of Zhemchuzhina. The former head of Zhemchuzhina, Oleg Shinkaryov, became a chairman of Sochi-04.

Rebirth

In 2007, club was re-established under name "Zhemchuzhina-A".

Arsen Naydyonov Arseny Yudilyevich Naydyonov (russian: Арсений Юдильевич Найдёнов) (August 12, 1941 – June 7, 2010), commonly known as Arsen Naydyonov, was a Russian professional football coach. He was born as Arseny Rozman and took his ...

became manager and vice-president of club. "Zhemchuzhina-A" played in

Amateur Football League Russian championship among amateur football clubs (III division) (russian: Первенство России среди любительских футбольных клубов (III дивизион)) is the fourth overall tier of the Russian fo ...

South zone, the 4th highest-level in 2007. It finished 2nd this league and promoted to South Zone of

Russian Second Division The Russian Second League (russian: Первенство России II дивизиона ФНЛ), formerly Russian Professional Football League is the third level of Russian professional football. History In 1998–2010, it was run by the Pr ...

for 2008 season. In 2008, it was renamed to FC Zhemchuzhina-Sochi. It promoted to the Russian First Division the 2010 season as champions of South Zone after 9 seasons of absence. In August 2011 the team withdrew from Russian First Division (FNL).

League history

Reserve squad

Zhemchuzhina's reserve squad played professionally as FC Zhemchuzhina-d Sochi (

Russian Third League Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries * Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and pe ...

in 1995-1997) and FC Zhemchuzhina-2 Sochi (

in 1998-1999). In 1992-1993 the reserves team was based in Adler and played under the name of FC Torpedo Adler. Another farm club called FC Dynamo-Zhemchuzhina-2 Sochi played professionally in

in 1996 and

Russian Second League The Russian Second League (russian: Первенство России II дивизиона ФНЛ), formerly Russian Professional Football League is the third level of Russian professional football. History In 1998–2010, it was run by the P ...

in 1997.

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Zhemchuzhina. * Denis Boyarintsev *

Maksim Demenko Maksim Vladimirovich Demenko (russian: Максим Владимирович Деменко; born 21 March 1976) is a Russian football manager and a former player who played as a central midfielder. He is one of six players who scored for six ...

* Olexandr Gorshkov * Lyubomir Kantonistov * Arsen Avetisyan * Eduard Partsikyan * Tigran Petrosyan * Manuk Kakosyan * Robert Zebelyan * Kazemır Qudiyev *

Nazim Suleymanov Nazim Suleymanov ( az, Nazim Süleymanov; russian: Назим Сулейманов; born 17 February 1965) is a Soviet and Azerbaijani football coach and a former player best known as a striker for Alania Vladikavkaz in the 1990s. Suleymanov was ...

* Vital Bulyga * Konstantin Kovalenko * Gennady Tumilovich *

Uladzimir Zhuravel Uladzimir Ivanavich Zhuravel ( be, Уладзімір Іванавіч Журавель; russian: Владимир Иванович Журавель; 9 June 1971 – 18 November 2018) was a Belarusian professional football player and coach. In 20 ...

* Ricardo Baiano * Marek Čech * Michal Papadopulos * Gocha Gogrichiani * Zurab Ionanidze * Davit Janashia * David Khmelidze * Dimitri Kudinov * Ruslan Baltiev * Kazbek Geteriev * Konstantin Ledovskikh * Serghei Covalciuc * Denis Knitel * Alexandr Mukanin * Farkhod Vasiev * Andriy Vasylytchuk *

Vladimir Shishelov Vladimir Aleksandrovich Shishelov (russian: Владимир Александрович Шишелов; born 8 November 1979) is an Uzbekistani-Russian retired football forward. Career His first professional club was Qizilqum Zarafshon he bega ...

External links

Official website

Zhemchuzhina memorial website

Official fan site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhemchuzhina-Sochi, FC Defunct football clubs in Russia Sport in Sochi Association football clubs established in 1991 Association football clubs disestablished in 2013 1991 establishments in Russia 2013 disestablishments in Russia