Ukrainian footballer and coach Mykhailo Fomenko dies: what is he known for
29 April 2024 15:34
Former head coach of the Ukrainian national football team Mykhailo Fomenko has died at the age of 76. This was reported by the Football Association of Sumy Region, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“A legend has passed away today. Mykhailo Fomenko has died. A whole era of Ukrainian and world football has gone with Mykhailo Ivanovych,”
– the association said.
Last summer, the footballer said that he was being treated for cancer.
What Mykhailo Fomenko is remembered for
Fomenko was born on 19 September 1948 in the village of Mala Rybytsia, Sumy region. He is a graduate of the Sumy football school Spartak.
During his playing career, Mykhailo played as a defender and midfielder for Spartak Sumy (1965-1970), Zorya Luhansk (1970-1972) and Dynamo Kyiv (1972-1979). In total, he played 280 matches at the club level, scoring 9 goals.
Together with Dynamo, he became the USSR champion three times (1974, 1975, 1977), won the USSR Cup twice (1974, 1978), the Cup of Cups (1975) and the UEFA Super Cup (1975).
Fomenko also played for the USSR national team (1972-1976), playing 24 matches. Mykhailo was a silver medallist at the 1972 European Championships (he was a member of the team but did not take part in the matches), and a bronze medallist at the 1976 Olympic Games.
During his coaching career, Fomenko led Dynamo, Metalist, Veres and other clubs. At the helm of Dynamo, Fomenko became the champion of Ukraine in the 1992/93 season and the winner of the 1993 Ukrainian Cup.
In addition, he was the head coach of the Ukrainian national team (2012-2016). Mykhailo led the Blue and Yellows to Euro 2016, where the national team under his leadership failed to advance from the group, losing all three matches. Fomenko addressed the fans of the Ukrainian team and apologised to them for the team’s poor performance at the European Championships. A few days later, Fomenko resigned.
Fomenko is an international master of sports, Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR, Honoured Coach of Ukraine and Georgia, Honoured Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of Ukraine, and an honorary citizen of Sumy.
