Once a defensive midfielder, Taras Mikhalik is a dependable utility player who operates more frequently nowadays in central defence. A Ukrainian international since August 2006, he has spent the past six years developing his game under various coaches at FC Dynamo Kyiv.

• Launched his career in the Ukrainian second division with FC CSKA Kyiv at 18 and spent four seasons there before joining FC Zakarpattya Uzhhorod on loan in 2005.

• Scored three three goals during loan spell, the first of them against Dynamo in a 2-1 home defeat, before moving to the capital club in February 2006.

• Involved at the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal, featuring in all five games as Ukraine finished runners-up to the Netherlands.

• He received his first senior international cap at the start of the 2006/07 campaign, as a substitute, in a 6-0 friendly win against Azerbaijan; subsequently appeared in three UEFA EURO 2008 qualifiers and seven games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying competition, including the two play-off matches against Greece.

• Established himself at Dynamo, winning the domestic double in his first season and another Ukrainian Premier League title in 2008/09.

 • Appeared in four successive UEFA Champions League campaigns, accumulating 15 group-stage appearances and scoring one goal – in a 2-2 draw with eventual winners FC Internazionale Milano in 2009/10; also helped Dynamo reach the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 2008/09 and the last eight of the UEFA Europa League in 2010/11.

UEFA honours
UEFA European Under-21 Championship: runner-up 2006