90 years of FC Shakhtar!
Sunday, May 24, 2026
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Address by FC Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov on the occasion of the club’s 90th anniversary
Dear fans, dear friends,
Today, FC Shakhtar celebrates its 90th anniversary. It is a remarkable milestone built on strength of character, a genuine love of football, and the history of many generations of the club’s supporters. It is a history of unforgettable matches and great victories.
For me personally – and, I believe, for many of you as well – Shakhtar is part of our lives. It is a team with which we share both the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat. A team we support and follow until the very last second of every match.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who, throughout these 90 years and to this very day, has devoted their knowledge, talent, energy and heart to Shakhtar – to the players and coaches, the management, and every member of the club’s staff. Thanks to your professionalism and daily hard work, the team continues to grow, compete at the very highest level, and win new titles and trophies.
And, of course, behind every victory and every trophy stands the passionate and loyal support of millions of fans who believe in Shakhtar. Thank you for always standing by the club. Shakhtar plays for you. Shakhtar wins for you. And it writes every new chapter of its history together with you.
Shakhtar marks its 90th anniversary as champions of Ukraine once again, with another set of gold medals added to the club’s history. This is the best gift for all our supporters. The club’s trophy collection now stands at 46 titles, 41 of them won during the modern era of its history. That makes Shakhtar the most decorated team in Ukraine during the years of the country’s independence. We are proud of this achievement, but for Shakhtar the most important victory is always the next one. We have always had, and will always have, the highest ambitions and goals. Today, the team lives and works in circumstances that would once have been impossible even to imagine, yet despite everything, it continues to win and to represent Ukraine with dignity at the very highest level of football.
In this anniversary year, we will once again hear the UEFA Champions League anthem. For the 20th time in its history, Shakhtar will compete in the world’s strongest and most prestigious club tournament. I firmly believe that Shakhtar belongs there – in the Champions League, among the best teams in Europe. This reflects the club’s ambitions. It is what our supporters expect and deserve.
Yet every day, every minute, we remember those thanks to whom football in Ukraine continues to live on – our defenders, our soldiers, our medics, our volunteers, and everyone who fights each day for Ukraine, for our freedom, and for our future. Many of you are Shakhtar supporters. We know this, we value it, and we thank you with all our hearts. Thank you for bringing closer our shared and most important Victory!
Today, I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone who plays for Shakhtar, supports Shakhtar, and loves Shakhtar on the 90th anniversary of our club. I wish for our most cherished dream to come true – for Ukraine to enjoy a lasting and just peace and prosperity, and for us once again to support our team and celebrate its new victories and trophies together in the packed stands of Ukrainian stadiums.
Congratulations, dear friends! Happy 90th anniversary to Football Club Shakhtar!
With deep respect,
Rinat Akhmetov
President of FC Shakhtar
Today, FC Shakhtar celebrates its 90th anniversary. It is a remarkable milestone built on strength of character, a genuine love of football, and the history of many generations of the club’s supporters. It is a history of unforgettable matches and great victories.
For me personally – and, I believe, for many of you as well – Shakhtar is part of our lives. It is a team with which we share both the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat. A team we support and follow until the very last second of every match.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who, throughout these 90 years and to this very day, has devoted their knowledge, talent, energy and heart to Shakhtar – to the players and coaches, the management, and every member of the club’s staff. Thanks to your professionalism and daily hard work, the team continues to grow, compete at the very highest level, and win new titles and trophies.
And, of course, behind every victory and every trophy stands the passionate and loyal support of millions of fans who believe in Shakhtar. Thank you for always standing by the club. Shakhtar plays for you. Shakhtar wins for you. And it writes every new chapter of its history together with you.
Shakhtar marks its 90th anniversary as champions of Ukraine once again, with another set of gold medals added to the club’s history. This is the best gift for all our supporters. The club’s trophy collection now stands at 46 titles, 41 of them won during the modern era of its history. That makes Shakhtar the most decorated team in Ukraine during the years of the country’s independence. We are proud of this achievement, but for Shakhtar the most important victory is always the next one. We have always had, and will always have, the highest ambitions and goals. Today, the team lives and works in circumstances that would once have been impossible even to imagine, yet despite everything, it continues to win and to represent Ukraine with dignity at the very highest level of football.
In this anniversary year, we will once again hear the UEFA Champions League anthem. For the 20th time in its history, Shakhtar will compete in the world’s strongest and most prestigious club tournament. I firmly believe that Shakhtar belongs there – in the Champions League, among the best teams in Europe. This reflects the club’s ambitions. It is what our supporters expect and deserve.
Yet every day, every minute, we remember those thanks to whom football in Ukraine continues to live on – our defenders, our soldiers, our medics, our volunteers, and everyone who fights each day for Ukraine, for our freedom, and for our future. Many of you are Shakhtar supporters. We know this, we value it, and we thank you with all our hearts. Thank you for bringing closer our shared and most important Victory!
Today, I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone who plays for Shakhtar, supports Shakhtar, and loves Shakhtar on the 90th anniversary of our club. I wish for our most cherished dream to come true – for Ukraine to enjoy a lasting and just peace and prosperity, and for us once again to support our team and celebrate its new victories and trophies together in the packed stands of Ukrainian stadiums.
Congratulations, dear friends! Happy 90th anniversary to Football Club Shakhtar!
With deep respect,
Rinat Akhmetov
President of FC Shakhtar