He primarily played as a defensive midfielder and was known for his stamina, intelligence, solid technique, tactical sense, and passing ability.

[1] In 2024 he became a sporting director in PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv[2] Aleinikov was born in Minsk, Belarusian SSR.

He played for the USSR national football team, making 73 appearances, scoring six goals, from 1984 to 1991,[3] and was in the Soviet squad that made the final of Euro 1988, losing to the Netherlands 0–2.

The midfielder then joined Juventus FC in 1989, and won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia in 1990.

[4] In the 2007–08 season Aleinikov served as head coach of amateur Promozione team Kras.