Kairat and Real Madrid have announced their squads for the upcoming Champions League match in Almaty on Sept. 30. Yesterday, Real Madrid’s players arrived in Kazakhstan. As both teams prepare for the game, fans of Almaty’s Kairat are pinning their hopes not just on the players but also on head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin — a former player who once sold shoes before beginning his coaching career.
After Kairat’s victory over Celtic last month, Urazbakhtin drew widespread attention. The win secured Kairat its first-ever place in the main stage of the Champions League and made Urazbakhtin the first Kazakhstani manager to reach this level. Notably, he became the first coach without a Pro License to do so.
At 46, he holds a Category A coaching license and continues to pursue advanced training with the Football Federation of Kazakhstan, according to Sportburo.kz. After retiring as a player and before earning his coaching license, Urazbakhtin spent six years working at a shoe factory and selling shoes. He later began coaching at the Kairat Academy and eventually rose to head coach.
Player then coach
Urazbakhtin began playing professionally in 1996 and later joined Kairat before moving to Russia. From 1998 to 2004, he earned 12 caps and scored two goals for Kazakhstan’s national team.
After retiring from playing in 2014, Urazbakhtin turned to coaching. In September 2024, he was appointed head coach of Kairat on a contract through the end of the season.
Under his leadership, Kairat produced strong performances and secured key wins at decisive points in the campaign. The final round saw the club defeat Atyrau to clinch the Kazakhstan league title — a milestone for both Kairat and Urazbakhtin, whose coaching ability and calm management under pressure were on full display.
The Kairat-Real Madrid match is set for Sept. 30 at 9:45 p.m. local time at Central Stadium.
