Ukraine stalwart Anatoliy Tymoshchuk retires
Sunday, February 12, 2017
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With Ukraine legend Anatoliy Tymoshchuk having retired aged 37, UEFA.com looks back on an illustrious career that featured UEFA Champions glory with Bayern München in 2012/13.
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Following the news that Ukraine legend Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has retired at the age of 37, UEFA.com looks back on a glittering career that brought victory in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup.
"I've quietly ended my football playing days and I'm taking a break to think about my new status," said the former midfielder after hanging up his boots. Instantly recognisable thanks to his blond mane and headband, he is now turning his thoughts to management. "I already have some coaching offers," he added, having recently received a UEFA Pro licence.
Tymoshchuk's announcement ended a 22-year professional career that brought him 21 trophies in Ukraine, Russia, Germany and Kazakhstan – as well as a record 144 caps for Ukraine, plus appearances at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA EURO 2012 and UEFA EURO 2016.
Though most renowned for his tenacious displays in a holding role, Tymoshchuk started out as a forward for Volyn in his native Ukraine in 1995/96, before dropping further back after his transfer to Shakhtar Donetsk in 1998. He soon became a key player for the Pitmen, winning the captain's armband under Nevio Scala in 2001/02 and keeping it until his departure for Zenit in 2007.
The Lutsk native was sold to Zenit for €15m – a record fee between clubs in the former Soviet Union – and he swiftly proved his worth en route to being named Russian Premier League player of the year by the end of 2007. The following season, he helped the St Petersburg outfit lift their first European trophy in the shape of the UEFA Cup, and soon added the UEFA Super Cup.
Those performances prompted a switch to German juggernauts Bayern in 2009, and, after finishing on the losing side to Chelsea in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, Tymoshchuk was an unused substitute as Bayern dispatched Dortmund at Wembley the following year – the culmination of a superb treble-winning season. He returned to Zenit that summer and ended his club career with an 18-month spell at Kairat in Kazakhstan.
Tymoshchuk was an equally eye-catching presence on the international stage, having made his debut in a friendly away to Bulgaria in April 2000. It was the first of an unparalleled 144 caps for Ukraine – 33 more than the second player on the list, Andriy Shevchenko – before he called time on his service to the national team last August.
Tymoshchuk's trophy haul
Shakhtar: Ukrainian Premier League (2002, 2005, 2006), Ukrainian Cup (2001, 2002, 2004), Ukrainian Super Cup (2005)
Zenit: UEFA Cup (2008), UEFA Super Cup (2008), Russian Premier League (2007, 2015), Russian Super Cup (2008)
Bayern: UEFA Champions League (2013), Bundesliga (2010, 2013), German Cup (2010, 2013), German Super Cup (2010, 2012)
Kairat: Kazakh Cup (2015), Kazakh Super Cup (2016)