Soviet Union U21 team which won the 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring a goal in the second leg of the final against Yugoslavia U21. Kanchelskis recalls having "no fear" before the first leg, saying the squad was relaxed and had played with "pleasure". He made his senior debut for the Soviet Union in 1989, coming on as a substitute for Gela Ketashvili in the final minute of a 1–1 draw with Poland. He was capped 23 times for the Soviet Union (including its brief successor, the CIS), scoring three goals. He scored, in November 1991 in Cyprus, the last goal in Soviet national team history. Russia After the dissolution of the Soviet Union Kanchelskis chose to represent Russia, considered the USSR's official successor team by FIFA. Though eligible, he immediately dismissed the chance to play for Lithuania, while he rejected Ukraine due to them not being able to qualify for a tournament until Euro 1996. Speaking in 2005 about his choice of representing Russia rather than Ukraine, Kanchelskis described the idea of waiting several years to play international football as an "impermissible luxury", and said he did not regret his choice. Having struggled in the qualification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Russia lost to Greece, and following the match, though he had not played in Athens, Kanchelskis was one of fourteen players to sign a letter sent to Shamil Tarpishchev, calling for the dismissal of manager Pavel Sadyrin and the appointment of Anatoliy Byshovets as the replacement. Kanchelskis was one of five players who refused to be called up to Russia squad for the World Cup, as part of the ongoing player dispute with Sadyrin. Style of play Kanchelskis usually played as a right-winger throughout his career, where he was known for his work-rate, pace, explosive acceleration, powerful shot from range, and eye for goal; however, he was not particularly strong in the air. Moreover, he had the ability to run at defenders, put opponents under pressure, and create space for teammates when dribbling with the ball. In addition to his footballing skills, he also stood out for his professionalism, despite his aggressive playing style. Post-playing career Shortly after his retirement as a player in February 2007, Kanchelskis became the sporting director of First Division team FC Nosta Novotroitsk, with the intended goal of improving the infrastructure of the club. In August 2009, he was in discussion to