Andriy Yarmolenko announces retirement: 2025/26 season will be his last
27 June 2025 04:00
Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine midfielder Andriy Yarmolenko will retire at the end of the 2025/26 season. The 35-year-old footballer himself said this in an interview with the Football News Center YouTube channel, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“I can say with confidence that this is my last year as a footballer. We talked to the head coach and the president. It was important for me to hear that I am needed as a football player. In no way do I want to be in the club as a footballer for my past merits. When I heard their opinion, I realized that they were counting on me as a combat unit. That’s why I signed a contract for another year,” Yarmolenko said.
Yarmolenko returned to Dynamo in 2023 after a period abroad. A few months later, he suffered a knee injury. The club explained at the time that it was not an acute injury sustained on the field, but the result of several injuries that damaged the same ligament. The footballer underwent surgery in Barcelona. on April 1, 2024, Yarmolenko made his first appearance after the injury and scored a goal.
Yarmolenko played for Dynamo Kyiv from 2006 to 2017, where he became a club legend and one of the best players in the history of Kyiv. He then played for German club Borussia Dortmund (2017-2018), West Ham London (2018-2022) and Al Ain Dubai (2022-2023).
Andriy became Dynamo’s all-time leading scorer in the Ukrainian league (114 goals), surpassing former Bilo-Syni striker Serhii Rebrov, who is currently leading the Ukrainian national team.
Yarmolenko is close to becoming the top scorer in the history of the UPL. Andriy is currently ranked fourth on the list. Ahead of him are Maksym Shatskikh (124), Serhii Rebrov (123) and Yevhen Selezniov (117).
