On October 18, ahead of the Moscow derby between Dynamo and CSKA at VTB Arena, a special program was held, dedicated to the book Pain and Loyalty: On Love for One "Dynamo" and Love for Football as a Whole.
This is a work of fiction centered on the phenomenon of lifelong devotion to a single team. Copies of the book were presented to legendary Dynamo players Leandro Fernández and Luke Wilkshire, as well as to those in attendance at the match. In this landmark game, Dynamo secured a 3–1 victory, maintaining their position at the top of the league table.
Australian Luke Wilkshire and Argentine Leandro Fernández arrived in Moscow ahead of a crucial match for Dynamo against CSKA, thanks to the support of Sergey Zakharov — a partner at the investment group Marathon, a member of the club’s advisory board, the creator of the "Smyslovaya 226" project, and a long-time Dynamo supporter. It was also his idea to create the book Pain and Loyalty, which explores why people remain loyal to one team throughout their entire lives.
"We wanted to do something special for the club. We spent a long time thinking about it and looked into whether any works of fiction existed about football clubs — it turned out there weren't any. That’s how the idea came about: to create a piece of fiction that examines the nature of a fan’s love. Ultimately, this book is about love," said Sergey Zakharov.
The book presents a collection of narrative and biographical stories. Its contributors include both writers and fans, among them Kamil Larin, Sergey Sirotkin, and Zoya Yarovitsyna. The focus is on personal experience: childhood, family, first matches, favorite players, friendships, disappointments, and the memories that bind a person to a team throughout their life.
The title, "Pain and Loyalty," captures the core theme of the collection: football is about more than just victories. A bond with a club often begins in childhood, eventually becoming an integral part of a person’s own life story and family history. This is precisely why fans continue to return to the stadium to support their team, even in the wake of defeat.
The return of Leandro Fernández and Luke Wilkshire to VTB Arena served as a symbolic embodiment of this idea. Both players spent years with Dynamo, and on the day of the derby, they reunited with the fans for autograph sessions. For the Dynamo faithful, they are an indelible part of the club’s history. Their visit perfectly illustrated one of the book’s central themes: while players, coaches, and rosters may change, the connection between people, the club, and its heroes can endure for decades.
As part of a special program at VTB Arena, the "Smyslovaya 226" project hosted a book-crossing event, and three copies of "Pain and Loyalty" were given away to attendees of the Dynamo vs. CSKA match.
