Dmitri Kirilov’s career in football has spanned three countries and two roles, but it is refereeing that has kept him involved long after his playing days ended.
Kirilov, who turned 45 last November, started out in judo and only joined football training at 10. He spent time at a Tallinn football school before moving to Kopli, where he was coached by Eduard Võrk. By 14 he was playing in Estonia’s second division, later joining Lantana and earning top-flight experience.
A move to FCI Levadia followed, although injuries stalled his progress. In 2003 he and Vadim Dolinin were loaned to Hyvinkään Palloseura in Finland’s second division. Kirilov said he continued to live and train in Estonia, travelling to Finland for matchdays under what he described as an unusual but official arrangement.
After his Levadia contract ended, he joined German Oberliga side TSG Neustrelitz in 2004 through a chance opportunity arranged by Mihhail Artjuhhov. Kirilov said the standard was high, but the language barrier proved difficult and he stayed only four months.
Back home, he played for Kalev under Aavo Sarap and helped the club climb from the Esiliiga to the top division for the 2007 season. He recalled one standout moment against former club Levadia, scoring twice the day after his wedding. “If I remember correctly, I got married on Friday and the match was on Saturday,” he said, adding that he insisted on playing and felt fine.
He later dropped into futsal and lower-league football, turning out mainly for Ararat, Tallinna FC Anži and Kiviõli. He also recalled a season in which Kiviõli reached the promotion play-offs despite limited training.
Kirilov moved into refereeing in 2010 after being influenced by acquaintances already officiating. He initially combined playing in the Esiliiga with taking charge of lower-league matches, before the Estonian FA encouraged him to progress. After his final Esiliiga season as a player in 2014, he focused more fully on refereeing.
He said his playing background helped him anticipate play and understand players in key moments, although he needed time to develop his identity as an official and manage overly familiar interactions from players he knew. Kirilov said he preferred higher-level matches because the football was more structured and predictable, and he recalled unusual incidents ranging from both teams arriving in white kits to a Tallinn C.F. match disrupted by investigators conducting checks amid suspicions of drug use.
Last year, back pain forced him to step away from active officiating. He has since taken up a new role as a referee observer, arranging training through the Estonian FA and focusing on reviewing decisions, positioning and communication to help reduce errors.
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Source: https://jalgpall.ee/ejl/uudised/kuidas-sai-jalgpallurist-kohtunik-dmitri-kirilovi-lugu-n25665
