Ilham Aliyev received the football players of “Inter” club of Baku – the winner of the “Commonwealth” Cup

President Ilham Aliyev received the football players and coaches of “Inter” club of Baku – the winner of the “Commonwealth” Cup

President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the players, coaches and trainers on winning the “Commonwealth” Cup tournament:

- “I congratulate all the players and members of “Inter” team with an assertive victory at the “Commonwealth” Cup of the CIS. All the Azerbaijani people rejoiced over this victory. This is already a great tradition. It is the third time that our teams have won the first place at the “Commonwealth” Cup. “Neftchi” in 2006, “Khazar-Lankaran” in 2008, and “Intern” now have become the champions of this prestigious tournament. This is a great victory, a very huge event. I would like to congratulate you – the players, the coaching staff and all the sports experts on this victory again.

The games were very intense. Our team won six games. According to the information given to me, the team scored 16 goals, but did not let their opponents to score a single goal. This is a great figure, as it is.

Each game was very important, but it is not a secret that the one with Armenian team was the most interesting one for the Azerbaijani fans. You cheered the Azerbaijani people with this great victory. You won with a great advantage and destroyed the opponent.

In other words, this victory proves that Azerbaijan is already making big and firm steps in football. Football is developing in Azerbaijan, and at the same time both our national team and clubs have attained victories in well-known games. I can tell this, and you know this very well, that our clubs have achieved greater results.

The Azerbaijan Championship is also very exciting and the interest to games has been on the rise recently. Our teams are strengthening. I hope that our teams will achieve greater results in the near future.

The Azerbaijani fans, actually, are kind of getting used to the victories of our sportsmen. We have achieved great results in various types of sports. We have Olympic, World and European champions. Of course, the victories gained in football carry a special importance.

I congratulate all of you once again with this great victory. I wish new achievements to the team. I am confident that you will make your Azerbaijani fans happy in the coming years.

Then President Ilham Aliyev stressed the importance of further efforts towards raising Azerbaijani football to world standards, saying that the activities of the football federation was being stepped up and increased attention being paid to the club and children football and improved football infrastructure.

Indicating that non-traditional sports were also developing in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev stressed that football has always been loved in our country. Reminding that back in Soviet times an Azerbaijani club had won bronze medals in the USSR championship, the President said that in the years of independence Azerbaijani football clubs have participated in many competitions and every victory is very gratifying for all of us.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that the support of the state and consistent work of the federation would further speed up the development of football in Azerbaijan. Pointing to the opinion of many experts that the level of the Azerbaijani championship has improved, President Ilham Aliyev said that the international make-up of our teams also contributes to their development. The President said that representatives of all ethnicities have always lived in an atmosphere of friendship in Azerbaijan and worked to develop the country.

Pointing to a bright future in store for Inter, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the Azerbaijani state would continue paying serious attention to the development of football.

The head of state mentioned about major plans relating to the development of football infrastructure and construction of stadiums. The construction of a new football stadium will commence in Azerbaijan this year.

Inter’s head coach Kakhaber Tskhadadze congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the victory won in the Commonwealth Cup and expressed his gratitude for the attention being paid to sports, including football. He added that a victory at such a high-level competition had further inspired the club.

Tskhadadze stressed the role of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan and the Professional Football League in the development of football in recent years. He said Azerbaijani footballers would continue making every effort to gain further successes in prestigious international tournaments.

On behalf of all the footballers, Inter Baku and the football community, a player of the club Rovshan Amiraslanov thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the comprehensive care and support for the development of football in Azerbaijan.

President of FC Inter Baku Georgiy Nikolov presented the head of state with the Commonwealth Cup, a medal and a football with signatures of all footballers, as well as the club’s shirt.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked the team for the presents and emphasized the importance of physical fitness. He expressed confidence that the club would achieve further successes. Then the head of state congratulated FC Inter Baku again.

President of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan Rovnag Abdullayev expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev on behalf of all sportsmen and the football community.