FC Ozgon have emerged as one of the surprise packages in Kyrgyzstan this season, with Azerbaijani duo Ramin Ahmadov and Ildar Alakbarov leading the charge.
Ramin Ahmadov has scored five goals and provided one assist this season. Ildar Alakbarov has added three goals and two assists, while fellow Azerbaijani Orkhan Aliyev has contributed four goals and two assists. Together, the trio have been involved in 17 league goals for Ozgon.
Ozgon have since strengthened their Azerbaijani contingent even further. At the beginning of July, the club signed 31-year-old defensive midfielder Sabayil Bagyrov. He arrived after spells with Sabail, Shamakhi and Turan Tovuz, becoming the fourth Azerbaijani in the squad.
From Mid-Table to Title Contenders
Ozgon are a young club representing the city of the same name in southern Kyrgyzstan. Last season was one of transition, as the team worked to establish its identity. After a difficult start, Ozgon found their rhythm and finished comfortably in mid-table.
During the winter, Ozgon kept the core of their squad together and strengthened several key positions. The club also travelled to Turkey for pre-season, where they beat Russian First League side Chaika 3-2 and faced opposition from Hungary and Slovakia.
That preparation quickly paid off. After 13 league matches, Ozgon had collected 26 points and sat fifth in the table. They had won eight games, scored 25 goals and conceded 14, while several teams above them had played more matches.
“Last season, Ozgon improved as the campaign went on,” Alakbarov told Eurasia Football.
“The team struggled at first but eventually found its identity. This year, the club has built on that foundation and strengthened the squad. We’ve managed to keep what we created and take another step forward.”
Alakbarov also revealed that the club’s professionalism played a major role in convincing him to join.
“Before signing, I spoke with the club’s management. What impressed me most was how they treat the players. They do everything they can to support us. If we need recovery, they arrange it. Everything we need is provided, and there have been no issues with accommodation or any other day-to-day matters.”
Ozgon’s Azerbaijani Core
Ozgon’s Azerbaijani contingent didn’t come together by chance. The story began last season, when Ramin Ahmadov and Ildar Alakbarov were teammates at Alay Osh.
Both players impressed in the Jogorku Liga and soon attracted interest from other clubs. In January 2026, Ahmadov and Alakbarov completed moves from Alay Osh to Ozgon. Orkhan Aliyev had arrived earlier, joining the club in the summer of 2025 after leaving Turan Tovuz.
A key figure behind the growing Azerbaijani presence is football agent Gvanzav Magomedov. A former player in Kyrgyzstan himself, he has since helped several Azerbaijani footballers continue their careers in the country.
“I’m currently represented by Magomedov,” Alakbarov said. “Before that, I worked with German Tkachenko, but things didn’t work out. Gvanzav suggested I move to Kyrgyzstan because my career in Azerbaijan wasn’t progressing as I’d hoped.”
“Ramin Ahmadov came first, and I later joined Alay during the club’s pre-season camp in Turkey. After that, more Azerbaijani players followed us to Kyrgyzstan through Gvanzav.”
Magomedov previously revealed that he helped five Azerbaijani players move to Kyrgyzstan last year alone. Earlier this season, he highlighted Ahmadov, Alakbarov and Aliyev as key figures behind Ozgon’s rise up the table.
Alakbarov believes the group has helped strengthen football ties between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
“We’ve managed to represent Azerbaijani football well. After that, more Azerbaijani players started coming to Kyrgyzstan. We’ve shown that our players can succeed here. You could say we’ve become a football bridge between the two countries.”
The Growing Demand for Azerbaijani Players in Kyrgyzstan
The growing interest from Kyrgyz clubs in Azerbaijani players is no surprise. Shared Turkic roots and cultural similarities help players settle quickly, but footballing reasons are just as important.
Many Azerbaijani players come through a league with a strong tactical focus. However, not all of them earn regular minutes at the country’s biggest clubs.
For teams in Kyrgyzstan, that creates an opportunity to sign well-coached professionals. For the players, it offers the chance to play regularly, build their numbers and attract interest from bigger clubs.
Ahmadov admits he knew very little about the Jogorku Liga before receiving an offer.
“When my contract in Azerbaijan ended, my representatives sent my profile to several clubs. Soon after, an offer from Kyrgyzstan arrived.
“The league was presented to me as a stepping stone. I needed to come here, prove myself, contribute with goals and assists, build my statistics and then take the next step.”
That plan has worked. Ahmadov has become one of Ozgon’s most productive players and, alongside Alakbarov and Aliyev, forms the backbone of the club’s attack.
“I understand the responsibility that comes with scoring goals, providing assists and playing every week. My job is to help the team get results. I believe Ozgon can compete for the highest honours.”
Adjusting to Life in Kyrgyzstan
Alakbarov also admits his first impressions of football in Kyrgyzstan were completely wrong.
“The league surprised me at first, I expected it to be weaker. Even during my time in Kyrgyzstan, the standard has improved. Better foreign players have arrived, clubs are developing their infrastructure and building training bases and stadiums. Right now, six or seven teams are capable of competing near the top of the table.”
Alakbarov believes the league still contains plenty of physical battles but has become far more organised in recent years.
“Last season, almost every match saw three or four yellow cards for each team. Now there are far fewer fouls. Almost everyone is trying to play football, and there’s much less aimless play.”
He describes the Azerbaijani Premier League as more tactical. Teams are more likely to build attacks from the back and play through short passes, while football in Kyrgyzstan is more direct and physically demanding.
However, Alakbarov would not compare the Jogorku Liga to Russia’s First League, where he previously played for Neftekhimik.
“The similarity is the physical side of the game, but it’s a different kind of battle. In Kyrgyzstan, the physicality is still combined with football.
“In Russia’s First League, it sometimes feels like a fight. The ball is constantly coming at your chest or head. As soon as you knock it past someone, you’re brought down from behind, and the referee might not even show a yellow card.
“It’s not about running faster. You simply have much less time to control the ball, look up and decide what to do next.”
Competition Over Foreign Player Quotas
The increasing number of foreign players in Kyrgyz football has become a regular talking point. Alakbarov, however, believes strong imports help local players develop rather than stand in their way.
“Kyrgyz players are improving as well, when quality foreign players arrive, local footballers have to raise their level to compete for places. Players who were already here last season have become noticeably stronger.”
For that reason, he does not believe strict limits on foreign players are necessary.
“Real competition exists when a player earns his place on merit, not because of his passport. There are very few restrictions in Azerbaijan, yet local players still get opportunities. If someone is only playing because of a quota, that’s not genuine competition.”
Alakbarov also believes the number of foreign players does not determine how successful a national team will be.
“People often point to Uzbekistan, which qualified for the World Cup with strict foreign player limits. But quotas alone don’t guarantee success. Azerbaijan removed its restrictions, and the national team hasn’t suddenly improved because of it. It’s much more complicated than that.”
What’s Next for Ozgon’s Azerbaijani Stars?
For Ahmadov and Alakbarov, Kyrgyzstan is not the final destination. It is an important step in their careers. Both hope their performances for Ozgon can lead to offers from stronger leagues or clubs with better financial conditions.
“I would like to return to Europe, Turkey would be a good option for me. I could also return to Azerbaijan, but only under different conditions and at a different club.”
Ahmadov is open to a wider range of options. As well as Turkey, he would consider other Asian leagues, including Malaysia and Indonesia.
“Those leagues offer good financial conditions, so they are worth considering too. You have to approach these decisions professionally and look for an option that makes sense both in football and financial terms.”
Both players know their next move will depend on what they do in Kyrgyzstan. Alakbarov believes one of the biggest mistakes young players make is trying to skip too many steps.
“Sometimes young players think they are ready to play for Real Madrid. In reality, you have to judge your level properly, establish yourself, prove what you can do and only then move on. Without a good agent, it is also very difficult for a young player to build their career in the right way.”
Building a Two-Way Connection
Azerbaijani players are not only raising the standard of football in Kyrgyzstan but also helping create opportunities in the opposite direction.
Alakbarov believes the country’s brightest young talents have the ability to play in Azerbaijan.
“There are plenty of talented players in Kyrgyzstan, especially among the younger generation. We have several in our own team. Some of them have the potential to play in Azerbaijan or other foreign leagues.”
For now, the football pathway is still much busier in one direction. However, the success of Ahmadov, Alakbarov and Aliyev shows that a move to Kyrgyzstan is no longer seen as an unusual step for Azerbaijani players.
In Kyrgyzstan, they are playing regular football, becoming key players and remaining on the radar of clubs in Azerbaijan and beyond. At the same time, Ozgon benefit from a settled group of experienced professionals who understand what it takes to perform and can make an immediate impact.