[citation needed] Shirokov started his first season for Zenit Saint Petersburg as a centre-back, as then-head coach Dick Advocaat was forced to fill the gaps left in the centre of defence after the departure of Martin Škrtel to Liverpool and severe injury to Nicolas Lombaerts.

[citation needed] On 18 July 2014, it was announced that Shirokov had signed a contract with Spartak Moscow as a free agent.

[2] Shirokov was benched during the 2015–16 season, in order to not pay him the amount due to him by contract if he plays a certain number of minutes.

[5] On 9 February 2016, he returned to his first club, CSKA Moscow, signing a contract until the end of the 2015–16 season with an extension option.

[7] He was called up for the Euro 2008 and started in the opening group match against Spain, being deployed in the centre of defence as then-manager of Russia Guus Hiddink decided to follow the footsteps of his compatriot Advocaat, thus relegating experienced Sergey Ignashevich to the bench.

This move proved unsuccessful as Russia were beaten 1–4 with Shirokov at fault on the number of occasions, including Spaniards' first[8] and third[9] goals.

After a string of assuring performances in the centre of Zenit's midfield, he was called back to the national team in 2010 for a friendly against Bulgaria.