Rubin Kazan

FC Rubin Kazan are Russia's most unexpected champions of the modern era, a club from the Tatar capital of Kazan whose back-to-back Russian Premier League titles in 2008 and 2009 shocked the established order of Russian football. Known for their tactical discipline and resilience under manager Kurban Berdyev, Rubin made global headlines in October 2009 when they defeated Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou in a Champions League group stage match that announced them to the world.

Founded in 1958 and based in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia, the club play at the Ak Bars Arena. Their honours include 2 Russian Premier League titles (2008, 2009) and 1 Russian Cup (2012). The club name Rubin means Ruby, reflected in the red and green colour scheme.

The red and green home shirt is one of Russian football's more unusual colour combinations, a pairing that sets Rubin apart from the red-heavy palette of many Russian clubs. The green provides a distinctive contrast to the red and ties the kit colours to the identity of Tatarstan itself. The kits from the back-to-back championship seasons of 2008 and 2009 are the most treasured in the club's history, and the green away kit worn during the famous Camp Nou victory over Barcelona has become an iconic piece for collectors of Eastern European and Russian football shirts.