With five goals in three games, South Ossetia’s, Batradz Gurtsiev is hungry for more
Today, two contenders for the CONIFA Sportsbet.io European Football Cup golden boot come face to face on the field. Batradz Gurtsiev of South Ossetia, who has scored five goals in three games, and Chameria’s Marco Van Basten Çema, who has three goals to his iconic name.
South Ossetia have progressed to the semi-final as group leaders, a huge upset in a group that contained two-time winners Padania. But for Gurtsiev, who plays in football for FC Chaica in Rostov, there is more to come from his countrymen.
‘The whole team is proud they have reached this far.’ he explains, ‘They will do everything to win this match. The team is already strong and believe they will do anything to be champions.’
The Republic of South Ossetia is an independent state north of Georgia and is only recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, Tuvalu and other unrecognized nations.
The region has a track record of producing CONIFA goalscorers. Artur Elbaev, from Alania in Northern Ossetia, left the 2014 CONIFA World Football Cup with the golden boot. But Gurtsiev refuses to get drawn into conversations about personal accolades — for him, the team’s success is much more important.
‘I only think about the game I’m playing. I think only about winning’
Growing up in Krasnodar in the South of Russia, Gurtsiev fell in love with football at a young age and at just 13 he left his school to join the Krasnodar Football Academy. After graduating, he honed his goal scoring trade with spells at Alanyaspor, FC Spartak Vladikavkaz, and now plays for FC Chaica in Rostov. Gurtsiev’s passion for the game is clear:
‘The only thing I have are family and football. Football is life. I don’t have any other way’, he explains.
It’s probably no surprise that Gurtsiev is a firm favourite for the golden boot, considering his football hero growing up was one of world football’s most prolific goal-getters.
‘I always looked up to Christiano Renaldo, I have been a Real Madrid fan since I was 6 years old. Like Ronaldo, my main aim is to get a goal, and of course it’s an aggressive position. If you aren’t aggressive maybe you don’t want to score.’
Gurtsiev’s rise to international level hasn’t been without setbacks. He broke his foot playing in a match for FKA Rostov which saw him sidelined for months. His comeback, he believes, has been made possible by his South Ossetian spirit.
‘South Ossetians are always looking to the future. They are very hard working and they are always thinking about reaching their goal. They don’t stop. And they are always thinking about winning.’
Looking to the future, Gurtsiev sees the tournament in Artsakh as a chance to put himself on the world stage — and potentially, the shop window.
‘It’s important because a lot of European countries will hear about this team, and it’s a big experience for me. My first aim is to play in Europe, and this tournament is an opportunity to get closer to that.’
South Ossetia take on Chameria in the first semi-final at the Askeren Stadium today, a venue in which Gurtsiev has already scored two goals. A win would set-up the first final in their history, and give Gurtsiev a moment that will live with him forever.
‘I am so proud to represent my region — I can’t put it into words. To win would be the happiest day of my life.’
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Watch South Ossetia vs Chameria live on https://mycujoo.tv/video/conifa?id=46953
