Fact 1. Zenit is over 100 years old and was initially a factory club
That’s right, it’s been around for more than a century! St. Petersburg’s main football team was founded in 1925, originally based at the sports club of the Leningrad Metal Plant.
At the time, its players mostly took part in friendly matches between teams representing different workplaces. Needless to say, Zenit came a long way from being an amateur team to a top-tier, globally known club.
Fact 2. Its colors weren’t always white and blue
You might’ve already seen a lot of people wearing white, blue, and light blue scarfs on the streets of St. Petersburg. Those are the club’s traditional colors, which have become an essential part of the city’s culture.
But for some time in the middle of the 20th century, Zenit actually played in red and white. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal if it weren’t for the irony: this color scheme is mostly associated with Moscow’s Spartak, one of Zenit’s biggest rivals.
Fact 3. Zenit is one of the most prize-winning Russian clubs
Not to mention major victories in national tournaments, Zenit is also the first and only Russian club to win the UEFA Super Cup in 2008. The victory became one of the iconic moments in the history of Russian football.
Fact 4. They have “their own” metro station
Gazprom arena. Credit: photogenica.ru
Not only does Zenit have a home at the enormous Gazprom Arena, which can fit nearly 70,000 fans on Krestovsky Island, they have a namesake metro station right next to it!
Fact 5. Zenit has a huge training base in Udelny Park
Gazprom Arena isn’t the only Zenit-related spot in the city. The club’s training facilities are located in Udelny Park, one of St. Petersburg’s large green spaces.
Want to discover more about sports in Russia? Check out our other articles on Russian football and other sports you can try in St. Petersburg and as an ITMO student.
