Oleg Iachtchouk
Encyclopedia
Oleg Iachtchouk is a Ukrainian
professional footballer
. He plays as a striker
for Cercle Brugge and also holds the Belgian
nationality. His last name is sometimes transliterated as Yaschuk or Jachtsjoek.
in the 1995–96
season. Playing for an unfashionable FC Nyva Ternopil
side, then a 17-year old, on matchday 1 he scored a hat trick at Shakhtar Donetsk
helping his side to a shock 4-2 away win. He finished the season as the club's top scorer with 10 goals as Nyva
narrowly avoided relegation.
Iachtchouk's talent caught the eye of Anderlecht
and he signed for the Belgian club at the end of the season. He made a good start in the first team in the 1990s but then became injured for long periods of time. In some seasons he barely played at all because of recurring injuries, yet Anderlecht extended his contract in 2001 for another five years. In 2006 he left the club, having played 119 league matches and scored 31 goals during ten seasons.
He signed for Ergotelis in Greece
for the 2006–07 season where he finally managed to shake off his injury problems.
On 14 June 2007, Iachtchouk returned to Belgium, signing a two-year contract with Cercle Brugge who had just appointed his former Anderlecht
teammate Glen De Boeck
as manager. In January 2009 his contract was extended until 2013, just days after he scored both of his team's goals in a 2-1 win against his former club Anderlecht
.
), including a spell alongside Andriy Shevchenko
for the Under-18s. In 1994 he became his team's best scorer at the European Under-16 Championship
in Ireland where Ukraine finished 3rd. One of the three goals Iachtchouk scored at the tournament was against Belgium.
However, Iachtchouk has not won a single full international cap due to persistent injuries. After he finally recovered he found that his dual Ukrainian
/Belgian
citizenship
is a major obstacle to his call-up for Ukraine; while he does not see himself playing for his new home country.
Individual
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. He plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for Cercle Brugge and also holds the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
nationality. His last name is sometimes transliterated as Yaschuk or Jachtsjoek.
Club career
Iachtchouk first made a name for himself in the Ukrainian Premier LeagueUkrainian Premier League
The Ukrainian Premier League is the highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship. As the Supreme League it was founded in 1991 after the fold of the Soviet Union's Vysshaya Liga. In 2008 it was reformed into a more autonomous entity of the Football Federation of Ukraine and changed...
in the 1995–96
Ukrainian Premier League 1995-96
-Preseason changes:Managers-Final standings:Note:* In bold are the participants of the 1996 Ukrainian Cup Final.-Top goalscorers:Notable Transfers*Oleksandr Palyanytsia, FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to FC Karpaty Lviv...
season. Playing for an unfashionable FC Nyva Ternopil
FC Nyva Ternopil
FC Nyva Ternopil is a professional Ukrainian football club, playing in the city of Ternopil, the capital of Ternopil Oblast. From 1992–01, Nyva Ternopil played in the Ukrainian Premier League, after being initially chosen to participate for being one of the top 9 Ukrainian teams from the West...
side, then a 17-year old, on matchday 1 he scored a hat trick at Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
helping his side to a shock 4-2 away win. He finished the season as the club's top scorer with 10 goals as Nyva
FC Nyva Ternopil
FC Nyva Ternopil is a professional Ukrainian football club, playing in the city of Ternopil, the capital of Ternopil Oblast. From 1992–01, Nyva Ternopil played in the Ukrainian Premier League, after being initially chosen to participate for being one of the top 9 Ukrainian teams from the West...
narrowly avoided relegation.
Iachtchouk's talent caught the eye of Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
and he signed for the Belgian club at the end of the season. He made a good start in the first team in the 1990s but then became injured for long periods of time. In some seasons he barely played at all because of recurring injuries, yet Anderlecht extended his contract in 2001 for another five years. In 2006 he left the club, having played 119 league matches and scored 31 goals during ten seasons.
He signed for Ergotelis in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for the 2006–07 season where he finally managed to shake off his injury problems.
On 14 June 2007, Iachtchouk returned to Belgium, signing a two-year contract with Cercle Brugge who had just appointed his former Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
teammate Glen De Boeck
Glen De Boeck
Glen De Boeck is a Belgian former football player and current manager of VVV-Venlo. During his career he played as central defender, mostly in the books of Anderlecht.-Career:...
as manager. In January 2009 his contract was extended until 2013, just days after he scored both of his team's goals in a 2-1 win against his former club Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
.
International career
Iachtchouk has played for all of Ukraine's youth national teams (Under-16, Under-18 and Under-21Ukraine national under-21 football team
The Ukraine national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine.After Ukrainian Independence in 1991, the Ukraine senior team played their first match in April 1992...
), including a spell alongside Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko is a Ukrainian footballer who plays for Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukraine national team as a striker. He is the third-highest scorer in the history of European club competition with 67 goals as of 2011-03-10, behind Filippo Inzaghi and Raúl. With 175 goals scored with A.C...
for the Under-18s. In 1994 he became his team's best scorer at the European Under-16 Championship
1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
-----Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
in Ireland where Ukraine finished 3rd. One of the three goals Iachtchouk scored at the tournament was against Belgium.
However, Iachtchouk has not won a single full international cap due to persistent injuries. After he finally recovered he found that his dual Ukrainian
Ukrainian citizenship
Citizenship of Ukraine is governed by the Law on Citizenship of Ukraine and by the Ukrainian Constitution.-Definition of Ukrainian citizenship:Citizens of Ukraine are defined as:...
/Belgian
Belgian nationality law
Belgian citizenship is based on a mixture of the principles of Jus sanguinis and Jus soli. In other words, both place of birth and Belgian parentage are relevant for determining whether a person is a Belgian citizen. It is regulated by the Code of Belgian Nationality.In some circumstances...
citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
is a major obstacle to his call-up for Ukraine; while he does not see himself playing for his new home country.
Awards and honours
Anderlecht- Belgian First Division: 1999-00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06
- Belgian SupercupBelgian SupercupThe Belgian Supercup is a Belgian club competition played on a single match at the league champion venue since 2004 and formerly at the Stade Roi Baudouin, between the winner of the last Belgian Pro League and that of the last Belgian Cup. If both teams are the same, the opponent is declared to...
: 2000, 2001
Individual
- Ukraine top scorer at Euro Under-161994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship-----Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
: 1994 - Nyva TernopilFC Nyva TernopilFC Nyva Ternopil is a professional Ukrainian football club, playing in the city of Ternopil, the capital of Ternopil Oblast. From 1992–01, Nyva Ternopil played in the Ukrainian Premier League, after being initially chosen to participate for being one of the top 9 Ukrainian teams from the West...
top scorer: 1995-96 - Cercle Brugge top scorer: 2007-08, 2008–09
- Cercle Brugge player of the season (Pop Poll d'Echte): 2008-09, 2009–10