Profile

A rarity in Guus Hiddink's squad in that he does not play for a Russian club, Ivan Saenko may well consider himself to be in the shop window at UEFA EURO 2008 after suffering relegation from the German Bundesliga with 1. FC Nürnberg. The 24-year-old winger graduated to the senior national side after captaining the Under-21s.

Made debut in Russian Premier-Liga at 17 with FC Fakel Voronezh but was scouted and recruited by German second division club Karlsruher SC.

Returned to Fakel in first half of 2002 season before establishing himself at Karlsuhe, where he scored 21 goals in 86 second-tier matches.

Joined Nürnberg in 2005, helping them to eighth place in Bundesliga with eight goals; bettered that tally by one in 2006/07 to become the club's top scorer.

Helped Nürnberg to victory in the 2007 DFB-Pokal, beating just-crowned champions VfB Stuttgart 3-2 after extra time in the Berlin final.

Three substitute appearances in Russia's UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying campaign.

Did you know?

Saenko scored two goals for Nürnberg in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup – one more than he managed in the league, his only Bundesliga strike not arriving until April (in a 2-2 draw v DSC Arminia Bielefeld).