Serhiy Atelkin passed away

Miner character

Serhiy Atelkin debuted for Shakhtar at the age of 18. It happened back in March 1990 in the USSR Championship game vs Ararat (1-0). That day marked a start of the great striker’s big career. With Shakhtar, Atelkin made 265 appearances and scored 82 goals. He is the 8th best scorer in the club history. Fans have always respected, valued and will continue appreciating Atelkin for his true Miner character and selfless dedication to his job.

Cup finals hero

Serhiy Atelkin was Shakhtar's best scorer in the Ukrainian Cup finals. In 1997, he brought victory in the decisive match vs Dnipro (1-0). In 2001, in the encounter vs CSKA Kyiv, Shakhtar were trailing 0-1 before Serhiy equalized in the 81st minute and scored a brace late in extra time (2-1). A year later, in a really heated clash vs Dynamo, Atelkin took the game to extra-time with Shakhtar snatching a 3-2 win.

He brought Shakhtar to the Champions League

Atelkin had a foreign stage in his career. In the second half of the 1990s, he played for the Italian Lecce and the Portuguese Boavista. However, all of Serhiy’s successes are inextricably linked with Shakhtar. After his return, he made his UEFA Champions League debut with the club. The main obstacle to the group stage in the qualifying round was Slavia. Atelkin's goal in the 97th minute of the match in the Czech Republic granted the Donetsk outfit their first-ever Champions League group stage berth.

At the end of his career, Serhiy Atelkin worked for many years at Shakhtar’s scouting department. Serhiy’s extensive experience in football helped him to see the talents that fulfilled their potential over time at the club and to bring some promising players to both the Academy and the first team.

FC Shakhtar offers its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Serhiy Atelkin. May his memory be a blessing.