Amir Batyrev

Amir Renatovich Batyrev (Амир Ренатович Батырев; born 11 March 2002) is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Sochi of the Russian First League.

Early life
Batyrev was born in Toronto, Canada to Russian parents who immigrated to Canada from Kalmykia in the 1990s. Batyrev began playing youth soccer at age seven with Vaughan SC. At age 12, he joined the Toronto FC Academy. When he was 15, he went to trial with Portuguese club Estoril Praia, but was unable to sign as a foreign U18 player. He then also trialed with Russian clubs CSKA Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Spartak Moscow, with the latter two interested in signing him, but he returned to Canada, as his father had to return to work. In September 2018, he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy, and in 2021 began playing with the Whitecaps U23 team. He departed the Whitecaps in April 2021.

Club career
After the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted life in Canada, Batyrev headed to Russia to continue playing soccer, with his father sending tapes to clubs. In September 2021, he joined FC Tver in the Russian Second League. On October 31, 2021, he made his professional debut against FC Zvezda Saint Petersburg.

In July 2022, Batyrev signed with Russian Premier League club Sochi. He scored his first goal for Sochi on September 14, 2022, in a Russian Cup game against Torpedo Moscow. In his first season with Sochi, he scored one goal, across all competitions.

In February 2024, Batyrev was loaned to Sokol Saratov in the Russian First League for the rest of the 2023–24 season.

International career
Batyrev is a dual Canadian and Russian citizen and is eligible to play for both national teams. In November 2016, he was called up to a camp with the Canada U15 national team for the first time.