He describes Valery Gazzaev, an Ossetic footballing legend who later became his coach at CSKA Moscow, as his childhood hero, also stating that Evgeni Aldonin and Frank Lampard were role models for him.

A couple of games later, he appeared in the starting lineup in the home match against FC Khimki and managed to score a goal and two assists.

In the round 13 game against bitter rivals Spartak Moscow, Dzagoev made three assists, helping CSKA to secure a 5–1 victory and since then he has become an undisputed member of the first eleven.

[citation needed] Dzagoev scored from a very tight angle during a Champions League match against Manchester United on 4 November 2009, which finished 3–3.

[14] In the final group game against Sparta Prague on 15 December, Dzagoev scored the opening goal as CSKA dropped their first points of their European campaign, succumbing to a 1–1 draw.

[17] Dzagoev provided the cross from which CSKA debutant Pontus Wernbloom netted the equalizer in their 1–1 draw against Real Madrid in their first leg Round of 16 clash on 21 February 2012.

[23] Having been sidelined with injury for much of 2017–18, Dzagoev returned to the CSKA side as a substitute in a Champions League match with FC Basel, scoring the goal at St.

[27] On 2 September 2022, Dzagoev signed a contract until the end of the season with recently-relegated to Russian First League club Rubin Kazan, reuniting with his former manager at CSKA, Leonid Slutsky.

[28] On 28 September 2023, after his contract with Rubin Kazan had expired, Dzagoev signed a one-year deal with Super League Greece club Lamia.

[31] After a string of impressive performances at club level, Dzagoev was called up to Russia squad for a 2010 World Cup qualification match against Germany scheduled for 11 October 2008.

[34] Dzagoev nearly earned the team a crucial away draw as he flicked the ball past Germany's goalkeeper René Adler, but hit the crossbar.

[35] After the game, Russia manager Guus Hiddink stated, "He's gelled into the team very well... Alan is a really clever player with the ability to make a killer pass and stretch the play.

[38] Dzagoev scored two goals in Russia's opening game of the Euro 2012 tournament against the Czech Republic on 8 June 2012, a 4–1 victory,[39][40] in which he was named Man of the Match.

He took a free kick that went brilliantly on to the head of Mariò Fernandes that was Russia's 2–2 equalizer with 5 minutes left to play in extra time.

[51] In 2009, ESPN SoccerNet called Dzagoev "one of the hottest prospects on the continent", commenting that he is "quick, good in the air and with exceptional technical skills".

[23] Shortly before the last round of international friendlies in the run-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, The Guardian branded Dzagoev as one of "three Russia players with the capacity to harm top-level opponents".