The big friendly Belarusian. Alexey started playing football at 9 years old. He played in various football tournaments in Belarus, but at 16 had the difficult choice to make. Develop as a professional footballer or focus on a different career, leaving football as a hobby.
Alexey decided on a different career path, which took him to South Korea, where he played in tournaments for fun – most notably those arranged by Samsung.
Following his move to Poland, Alexey played in the small sided game for FLS with Vilanova. Fellow teammate and Dragoon, Gonçalo Rodrigues, invited the ball-playing defender to come and train with the club.
Zelenkin trialled with the Expats briefly and debuted in the Dragoons first ever competitive fixture in the 6-0 victory of Fairant in the Puchar Polski first round in the 19/20 season. His first Expats goal came in the 6-4 Puchar Polski 3rd round defeat against Błękitni Modlnica in the same year. The Belarusian gave the Dragoons hope, rifling a shot into the top corner from just inside the 18-metre box to make the score 5-4, but a late goal for the opponents sent the Expats out of the competition.
Alexey has become a key player for the Dragoons at the heart of the defence and makes defending look easy with his calmness and ability to read the danger ahead of him. Despite being a central defender, he is not afraid to go on a mazy run, carrying the ball forward out of his own half and has popped up with some vital goals. He also has a terrace chant, but will neither confirm or deny whether there is any truth with the lyrics.
Zelenken does not have a particular favourite Dragoons moment, but enjoys playing for the club. He said he fully expects his chosen moment to be when the club lifts the B Klasa title and moves on to bigger and better things!
Alexey does not follow any particular team, taking more an interest in individual players. Zelenkin picked Marco Reus, David Villa, Rio Ferdinand, Thiago Silva and Steven Gerrard as individuals he has enjoyed watching.
