Svetlana & Jurijs Zhigayev: 20 Years of Love & Life Together

What Are They Up To Now?

Svetlana: Tell me about both of you. I’m interested in how you see me.
Jurijs: You’re the best wife, an even better mother, an influencer…
Svetlana: …and the wife of a former Latvian national football team player.
Jurijs: I ended my football career seven years ago, having also played for the Latvian national team before that. Because of football, my wife and I lived in Ventspils for 14 years and in Poland for a year and a half. Now we’ve been living in Riga for three years. Currently, I coach children and young people in football, and I’m also the president of the women’s team RFS Women.

How Did You Meet?

Svetlana: Twenty years ago, I saw him on the popular dating portal one.lv. I didn’t know anything about football; he just seemed like a handsome guy, so I wrote to him. I remember it was August 5th, and he came to my work with white roses on August 8th. This summer marks 20 years since we first connected. Jurijs: For two weeks after that, I was a very romantic guy, bringing her flowers every day. Sveta worked at the Baltijas stikls store in the Olimpia shopping center. We walked across the Vanšu Bridge a couple of times.

Svetlana: We clicked immediately.

Who Said “I Love You” First?

Svetlana: Jurijs did, and I even remember where it happened. We were taking a walk.
Jurijs: We still say those words to each other and to our children often.

It wasn’t important to Sveta whether we were married or not. That really pleased me for the first five years. We had an agreement – we’d get married when we wanted to have children. I remember, after a football camp, I realized I wanted a baby. I borrowed money from my teammates and bought an engagement ring at the airport. As soon as I got home, I proposed. It was February, and we celebrated our wedding in November.

What Do You Remember From Your Wedding Day?

Jurijs: It was very cold.
Svetlana: It was snowing, minus eight degrees Celsius, and a little sunshine. We celebrated with 50 guests at the Tallink Hotel, which had just opened. Then we went on a trip to the Dominican Republic, stopping in Paris.
Jurijs: I understand those who don’t get married, because weddings are expensive. I was lucky enough to be earning well at the time. I don’t remember the exact figures, but with the honeymoon, it was a costly pleasure. It’s still one of the most important moments in life, so you want it to be beautiful.

How Has Your Impression of Each Other Changed Over 20 Years?

Jurijs: My wife would probably say for the worse. In my eyes, it’s quite the opposite. She’s developed a lot as a person, becoming even better. Maybe thanks to me (laughs). I probably couldn’t say the same about myself, because I’m lazy by nature.

What Qualities Do You Now Appreciate in Each Other?

Svetlana: You’re not fussy, are you?!
Jurijs: That’s because I’m not perfect myself. How can you be fussy if you don’t do things perfectly yourself? I guess I couldn’t live with someone who is pathologically meticulous.
Svetlana: That’s why we always have a little bit of a mess at home. I really like that my husband is a good cook.
Jurijs: I learned how to cook because I started living alone at the age of 15. I enjoy spending time in the kitchen; it’s my sanctuary. That’s also where I can pour myself a glass of beer. It started when our daughters were little and running around the house. I chose to work in the kitchen alone.
Svetlana: My husband’s signature dishes are azu (a Latvian stew), shakshuka, and Italian apple pie.
Jurijs: There are also dishes I can’t cook. For example, I can’t make cottage cheese pancakes or regular pancakes. Sweet things are my wife’s domain.

How Have Your relationships changed since you had children?

Svetlana: We have daughters, Marija and Amira, who are currently 14 and 9 years old.
Jurijs: I definitely have even more respect for my wife. To be honest, when the children were small, I was away a lot because of football. And when I was around, I needed to rest.
Svetlana: I don’t remember that time very well either. We didn’t have nannies. We managed everything ourselves.

Who Is the “Stricter” Parent?

Svetlana: It changes all the time.
Jurijs: We agreed a long time ago that we are always a team. Even if one of us sees that the other is wrong, we act together in front of the children. When we’re alone, we discuss what one of us thought was wrong with what the other did.

What Are the Most Heartwarming Moments You’ve Experienced Together as a Family?

Jurijs: I think it’s any trip. I’d like to earn enough money so that the family can travel all the time. We all like the sun, warmth, and the pool…

Are Your Daughters Trying to Copy You?

Jurijs: They are very different. The eldest played basketball from first to seventh grade. Now she likes K-pop, Korean pop dances. They are very popular in the world right now. Our youngest daughter, on the other hand, has interests like her mother – about appearance, fashion, and clothes…
Svetlana: When we go shopping, our eldest daughter doesn’t need anything because she almost doesn’t like anything, while the youngest likes and needs everything.

What Are the Biggest Challenges You’ve Overcome in Your Relationship?

Jurijs: We were laughing yesterday about whether we’d be asked how to keep the spark alive in a relationship. I wish someone would tell us. Of course, we’re not going to lie and say that the spark is the same at 40 as it was at 20. Naturally, a person changes over the years. I think you don’t need to preserve the spark in a relationship, but respect. And that’s enough. I’m not perfect. I give my wife flowers once a year now, and I’m often not at home. My wife also has her downsides, which we shouldn’t talk about publicly. So it’s important to maintain respect. Then everything will be okay.

Many Couples Divorced During the COVID Period, When They Had to Spend Every Day Together.

Jurijs: That was a very good time for us. My wife made the decision to stop drinking alcohol. (Laughs). I really respect her for that.
Svetlana: It will be four years now since I stopped drinking alcohol.

Did You Both Give Up Alcohol?

Jurijs: No, no – I continue… At first, when Sveta gave up, it was hard for me because it felt like I had lost a good friend.

Svetlana: By not drinking alcohol, I take care of myself. What my husband does is his own business. If he wants to drink, let him – it doesn’t bother me. I also don’t eat pasta, which my husband, on the other hand, eats.
Jurijs: I don’t eat regular pasta, I eat delicious pasta (laughs).

Svetlana Isn’t Shy About Showing Off Her Figure in Sexy Photoshoots on Social Media. What Does Her Husband Think About That?

Jurijs: She’s an adult and can do whatever she wants. If I looked as good as she does at 40, I’d take pictures like that too.

Have You Really Never Felt Jealous Because of the Photoshoots?

Jurijs: Sometimes, of course, I have, especially when I read the comments or see that my wife has been sent another crane [a flirtatious message]. At the same time, I try to adhere to the principle that we can each do what we want in our lives and simply not nag each other about it.
Svetlana: We each have our own interests that we pursue. Football is my husband’s, and fitness is mine. I like to look good. I don’t want to get old, so I constantly exercise, use facial massages, and try out the latest creams. Maybe that’s because we have two daughters growing up. I want them to see that a woman can look good. That it’s not the case that a woman automatically becomes fat and ugly at 40. I used to go to a sports club, but then I realized that it’s more comfortable to exercise at home.
Jurijs: I lie in bed, and she exercises right next to me.

Now You Often Hear That Couples Should Go on Dates. Do You Go?

Jurijs: We go out to eat together. That’s almost the same thing. Sometimes we do that at McDonald’s (laughs).

Have People of the Opposite Sex Written to You With a Desire to Meet?

Jurijs: No one has written to me!
Svetlana: I have. The beginning of the text is usually the same: “Hey, how are you? You look very sexy!” This most often happens after photoshoots where I’m seen in beautiful pictures.
Jurijs: We sometimes laugh together about these people who want to meet.

Who Says “I’m Sorry” First After an Argument?

Jurijs: Of course, me. When Sveta gets offended, she, I think, can be silent for years. I can’t stand that, so even when I know I’m right, I still go and apologize. I don’t have a problem with that. My wife’s heart usually thaws then. We haven’t argued in a long time, though.
Svetlana: We hardly argue anymore. When the children were small, we did it more often, because we were simply exhausted.
Jurijs: There’s nothing to argue about now. Unless it’s which series to watch together.

What Do You Think Is the Secret Ingredient to a Stable Relationship?

Svetlana: I guess it’s the respect we mentioned earlier.
Jurijs: Arguments arise in relationships also when there’s a lack of money. As harsh as it sounds, material things can affect the stability of a relationship. I’m not saying we’re super rich, but it probably helps that there are no money problems in our relationship. They used to joke that Sveta is with me only for the money. That’s not true. When we met, my salary was 45 lats. We don’t have a joint account, but we roughly know how much each of us earns. On vacation, sometimes I pay, sometimes we split it.

Svetlana Is Slightly Taller Than Jurijs…

Jurijs: Not really! I’m 1 meter and 68 centimeters tall, and my wife is exactly the same.
Svetlana: When we met, he told me he was as tall as me… (smiles). I believed him!
Jurijs: I was also asked about my height when I played football. People asked me how it felt to be so small among athletes. I’ve learned to turn everything into a plus both in sports and in everyday life. I don’t even know what joke about height would have to be told for me to be offended. I actually find it funny that people find such jokes amusing.

When You First Saw Jurijs, Were You Disappointed by His Height?

Svetlana: No.
Jurijs: She’s lying! (Laughs).
Svetlana: Really not, because he brought very beautiful flowers. I assume if he had been much shorter than me, that might have been a problem. But we’re the same height.
Jurijs: Where did you get smaller! A meter and 40 centimeters, you think? Fantasizing about dwarves…

Do You Have Any Nicknames for Each Other?

Svetlana: We have one common one – Sauluks. I came up with it.

What Would You Like to Achieve in Your Relationship in the Next 15 Years?
Svetlana: I’d like to move to live in warmer countries.
Jurijs: I’d like to own an apartment in Riga. We’re currently renting.