Nikita Simonyan 1926 – 2025

Biography

Nikita Simonyan was born on October 12, 1926, in Armavir, a city in southern Russia. He would go on to become a notable figure in Soviet and Russian football, dedicating much of his life to the sport both as a player and later as a coach. His career spanned decades of transformative change in Russian athletics, allowing him to witness and contribute to the evolution of football during the Soviet era and beyond.

Throughout his professional life, Simonyan remained deeply connected to the football community, sharing his knowledge and passion with successive generations. His work as both a footballer and coach made him a respected presence in Russian sports circles, and he maintained his involvement in the sport across many years of his adult life.

Simonyan passed away on November 23, 2025, in Moscow at an advanced age. He was laid to rest at Vagankovo Cemetery in the Presnensky District of Moscow, one of the city’s most notable burial grounds. His legacy remains part of Russian football history, remembered for his contributions during a formative period of the sport.