Career
He is a one-club man, having spent all 14 of his professional seasons with Zenit. Zenit
Vyacheslav Malafeev started attending the Smena football school at the age of nine. In 1997, he began to play for the farm club of Football Club Zenit, Zenit-2, in the Third Division.
He got the chance to play for Zenit in the Premier League in 1999 during the suspension of Roman Berezovsky.
Malafeev later became the first choice goalkeeper for Zenit in 2001, after Berezovsky left the club International career
On 19 November 2003, Malafeev debuted as a goalkeeper for the national team in a Euro 2004 qualifiers play-off against Wales.
He was chosen as the second choice goalkeeper behind Sergei Ovchinnikov and ahead of Igor Akinfeev. Malafeev participated in Euro 2004 coming on after Ovchinnikov"s red card against Portugal and starting against Greece.
After Euro 2004, Malafeev, became the first choice goalkeeper for Russia succeeding Ovchinnikov.
After a long-term injury in May 2005, Malafeev lost his place in the goal for Zenit and Russia to Kamil Čontofalský and Igor Akinfeev, respectively. In 2007, played in two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia after Akinfeev"s long term injury but was relegated to the bench in favor of Vladimir Gabulov. Nonetheless, he stayed on the as the second choice goalkeeper ahead of Gabulov.
He was confirmed for the finalized Union of European Football Associations Euro 2012 squad on 25 May 2012.