Oleh Kuznetsov


Oleh Volodymyrovych Kuznetsov is a former professional Ukrainian football player. Kuznetsov had started playing football when he was eight years old. However, it was not until he was 20 when his talent was noticed by the Soviet giants at that time, Dynamo Kyiv.

Playing career

FC Desna Chernihiv

In the summer 1980 he joyned to the main team of Chernihiv called FC Desna Chernihiv, where he made 9 caps and 4 goal scored.

Dynamo Kyiv

Kuznetsov in 1983, he moved to Dynamo Kyiv until September 1990. Here he won UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the season 1985–86, the Soviet Top League in 1985, 1986 and 1990. He won the Soviet Cup in 1985, 1987 and 1990.

Later Career

Kuznetsov transferred to Scottish club Rangers in 1990. He injured his cruciate ligament in his second game and did not play again for a full year. The time out meant that new players had been brought in and he was never a first choice again. After a four-year stint, hampered by injuries, he moved on to the Israeli team Maccabi Haifa to play for one season. He returned to Ukraine to finish his career with CSKA-Borysfen Kyiv.
Kuznetsov retired in 1997.

International

He appeared in 63 games for the USSR/CIS national team, and three times for the Ukraine side after the fall of the Soviet Union. He was a silver medal winner with the USSR team at the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship. He also represented the USSR at the 1986 and 1990 FIFA World Cups, and the CIS at the 1992 UEFA European Football Championship. A six-time domestic champion, and a four-time domestic cup winner. He won the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1986, and was a European Cup semi-finalist in 1987 with Dynamo Kyiv. He was in 11th place in the European Footballer of the Year award in 1988, and in 17th place in 1989.

Coaching career

Kuznetsov began coaching in 1998 at the last club he played for professionally, CSKA Kyiv. Starting out as an assistant coach he became head-coach for the 2001–2002 season, with CSKA Kiev becoming Arsenal Kiev in the meantime. He moved to the coaching staff at Dynamo Kyiv and is currently on the coaching staff of the Ukraine national team. As coach, he was part of the Ukraine national team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Honours

Player

Club

;FC Desna Chernihiv
;Dynamo Kyiv
;Rangers
;CSKA Kyiv
;Soviet Union
;Ballon d'Or