The captain of FC Rubin Kazan, the club with whom he has spent the bulk of his career, Roman Sharonov received an out-of-the-blue call-up to Russia's UEFA EURO 2012 squad having not represented his country for almost eight years. A composed and experienced defender, he can play at right-back or in the centre.

• A native Muscovite, he started out at FC Lokomotiv Moskva but only represented the club's second team before, at 21, he tried his luck in China with Shanghai Fuabo FC.

• Returned to Russia and helped FC Metallurg Krasnoyarsk win promotion to the second tier before joining Rubin; spent four seasons in that division with the Kazan club, eventually achieving promotion to the Premier-Liga in 2002.

• Established himself in the top flight over the next two years and won his first Russia cap in March 2004 – in a 2-2 draw against Bulgaria in Sofia – before travelling to Portugal for UEFA EURO 2004, where he was sent off in the opening game against Spain (0-1).

• Profile faded after a 2005 move to FC Terek Grozny, who finished bottom of the Premier-Liga and were relegated; spent the next two seasons in the second tier, the second of them with champions FC Shinnik Yaroslavl, making 34 appearances in the club's title-winning campaign.

• Back at Rubin for the start of the 2008 season, which would end with the  Tatarstantsi's first Russian title, his contribution being 26 starts and one goal; retained the crown in 2009 (25 appearances, two goals) and made five starts in UEFA Champions League but missed most of 2010 through injury before returning in style in 2011/12, his efforts being rewarded with a surprise international recall.