The Armenia national futsal team will play its penultimate match in the EURO 2026 qualifiers on March 8. Ruben Nazaretyan’s team leads Group 6 with 10 points and faces two crucial matches ahead—against Denmark (March 8) and Kazakhstan (March 12). Both games will take place in Yerevan at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex.
A successful performance would see Armenia qualify for a major international tournament for the first time in history. Notably, the team has achieved this without naturalized Brazilian players, who were barred from playing due to new UEFA regulations. According to these rules, foreign futsal players must have played at least five years in the country’s league before becoming eligible to represent its national team.
As a result of this restriction, the world’s best goalkeeper of 2024, Luan Müller, is no longer able to play for Armenia.
Despite this, the Armenian team continues to deliver outstanding results. Now is the perfect time to get to know the key players who will take the court against Denmark and Kazakhstan.
Sportaran.com presents a brief overview of some of Armenia’s national futsal team players to help fans learn more about the athletes bringing the team closer to historic success.
VLADIMIR SANOSYAN – 28 years old, Forward
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Armenia’s best futsal player of 2024 and the national team captain.
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Started in football but switched to futsal thanks to coach Vyacheslav Tochilin.
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Underwent several surgeries, including hip surgery, which made him consider retiring, but he continues playing.
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Currently plays for Norilsk Nickel, a club that supported him after his injury.
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Family: Parents live in the Krasnodar region and run a family business. His brother also played football but not professionally.
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Faced difficulties in football due to his short height, which contributed to his transition to futsal.
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Scored 1 goal in 4 matches during the current qualifiers.
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Scored 13 goals in the Russian Championship season. His team is in first place.
GAMLET MANUKYAN – 33 years old, Defender
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Experienced player from Yekaterinburg.
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Has played for Armenia since 2019. At that time, he had to balance sports with factory work.
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"I confidently accepted the second citizenship to play official matches for Armenia. I studied all aspects of this decision. I had no issues in Russia, and even if I did, I would have solved them—I've been through worse, as my friend says. I’m very grateful to the Armenian Football Federation, managers, and coaches for their trust and for allowing me to escape factory work," Manukyan wrote in 2019.
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Played for Ani Armenia (Yekaterinburg) and Sib-Transit.
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In 2024, he joined the Armenian club Unisport, where he has already scored 20 goals in 12 matches of the Armenian futsal championship.
NIKITA KHROMYKH – 29 years old, Forward
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Plays for Torpedo (Nizhny Novgorod). Scored 8 goals in the current Russian futsal season.
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Scored 1 goal in these qualifiers.
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According to Armenia’s head coach Ruben Nazaretyan, he has Armenian roots, which allows him to play for the team.
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Played football until 2015, with over 30 matches in Russia’s Second Division. A Rubin Kazan academy graduate.
DENIS NEVEDROV – 30 years old, Forward
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Plays for Tyumen. Scored 24 goals in the current Russian futsal season.
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Former player of Russia’s youth national team. Representing Armenia since 2021.
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Scored 4 goals in these qualifiers.
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According to coach Ruben Nazaretyan, he has Armenian ancestry.
ALBERT AGAJANOV – 31 years old, Goalkeeper
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Goalkeeper for Sib-Transit, which played in Russia’s Higher League last season.
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Has extensive experience in the Russian Super League.
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Previously the backup goalkeeper behind Luan Müller. Now, with the Brazilian unable to play for Armenia, he has become the first-choice keeper.
ARSEN PETROSOV – 18 years old, Forward
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Plays for Torpedo’s second team, scoring 10 goals in the current Russian Second League season.
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Joined the Armenian national team in 2024.
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Has already scored 3 goals and provided 1 assist in these qualifiers, making a successful senior-level debut.
ARTUR MELKONYAN – 33 years old, Defender
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Plays in Russia’s Higher League for LKS, scoring 4 goals this season.
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Born in Saratov, played football until the age of 13.
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Scored 1 goal in these qualifiers for Armenia.
RAFIK MELIKYAN – 25 years old, Forward
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Best futsal player of the previous Armenian championship season.
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One of the top homegrown Armenian futsal talents.
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Moved from FC Yerevan to Kazakhstan’s Aktobe in 2024.
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Scored 2 goals in these qualifiers.
MIGRAN DERMENDJYAN – 27 years old, Forward
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Scored 3 goals in these qualifiers.
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Top scorer of the Armenian championship—22 goals in 13 matches.
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Playing for FC Yerevan and the Armenian national team since 2021.
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Previously played football, featuring in over 60 matches in Armenia’s First League for West Armenia and Alashkert-2.
MIKAEL GANDILYAN – 30 years old, Forward
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Competing in the Russian championship for IrAero.
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Born in Irkutsk.
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Joined the Armenian national team this year.
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Played football until 2016 for Irkutsk’s Zenit in Russia’s Second Division.
ARTUR PATATYAN – 23 years old, Defender
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Played football until 2021 and was called up to Armenia’s U19 national team.
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A Pyunik academy graduate with over 50 matches in Armenia’s First League for Pyunik-2.
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Scored 11 goals in the Armenian futsal championship this season with FC Yerevan.
GAREGIN MASHUMYAN – 35 years old, Defender
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One of the most experienced players in Armenia’s national team.
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Played football until 2017 and even scored in the Champions League with Urartu.
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In 2014, helped Urartu defeat Andorra’s Santa Coloma by scoring the winning goal.
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Has over 30 matches in the Armenian Premier League for Urartu and Alashkert.