Yura Movsisyan has been thrilled since his return to Real Salt Lake. He has been a veritable force in training and an excellent teammate in and out of camp since his arrival.
Considering what he left behind with Spartak Moscow and the Russian club’s willingness to allow his move back to RSL, part of that enthusiasm is also seeded in gratitude toward Spartak.
“I have no regrets about my time in Russia. My experiences there made me a better player. Spartak has very high quality players and is a very serious club. The fans are very passionate and demand success. The club is very professionally run and was very good to me and treated me well,” Movsisyan said. “I have to thank Spartak’s board for allowing this move to RSL. I have good memories of my time there. It wasn’t easy to come back to MLS but I am grateful it could be resolved."
Always apt to seek new challenges on the field, Movsisyan was also driven by his family’s desire to return stateside after six years in Denmark and Russia. He left MLS at just 22 years old with lofty career aspirations, many of which he has achieved in becoming a fixture in the Armenian National Team, leading the Russian Premier League in scoring and finding team success at every stop along the way.
However, it was his bond with his family that brought him back to Utah. Now 28 years old, he is a father of two young children with a third on the way. Bringing his children up in America was important to him and his wife and now, thanks in large part to Spartak’s cooperation, he can balance happiness on the field with happiness off the field.
"I just felt I need to be closer to home for my family’s sake and with another child coming. My wife has been away a long time and I can’t just think of myself and my career,” he said. “Russia is a difficult place to live and can take a toll on you mentally.”
Movsisyan scored 25 goals in 62 matches for Spartak Moscow, bringing his Russian Premier League total to 48 goals in 112 league matches for Spartak and FC Krasnodar. He also notched 12 goals in 30 matches with Randers in Denmark and has 10 goals in 35 international caps with Armenia.
