FC Shakhtar Donetsk were formed in 1936 and have a rich history of success. During the Soviet era, the club triumphed in cup competitions and, since 2000, has pretty much ruled the roost in the Ukrainian Premier League.
First Ukrainian Premier League Title
Following Ukrainian independence, it was Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv who were the frontrunners, and the Miners won their first Ukrainian Premier League title in 2001/02, beating Kyiv by a single point under boss Nevio Scala.
Ukrainian Double
They completed the double by beating Dynamo 3-2 in an exciting final, with combative midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk being a key performer before he left for Zenit Saint Petersburg and eventually won the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2013.
The club became home to a large contingent of top-quality Brazilian talents that helped to drive the club to ongoing success.
UEFA Cup Winners
In 2008/09, they won their first-ever European title.
They won three of their UEFA Champions League group stage games to book their place in the UEFA Cup, where they then beat Tottenham, CSKA Moscow, Marseille, and Dynamo Kyiv to set up a final against Werder Bremen.
Their German opponents leveled through Naldo after Luiz Adriano had given Shakhtar the lead, and Jadson scored in extra time to give Mircea Lucescu's side a famous win in Istanbul.
Consistent Success
From 2009/10 to 2019/20, the club won nine out of ten Ukrainian Premier League titles and won a host of other domestic honours and arguably, the team's biggest legend in this era was Croatian international Darijo Srna, who represented the club as a player between 2003 and 2018, racking up an astonishing 536 appearances in the process and scoring 49 goals before going to become the club's Director of Football in 2020.
European Achievements
In 2010/11, Shakhtar Donetsk impressed many with their run to the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals, where they were duly thumped 5-1 by FC Barcelona.
In 2015/16 and 2019/20, the club got to the UEFA Europa League Semi-Finals, further proving their capabilities well beyond merely the Ukrainian Premier League.
In 2009, they played in the UEFA Super Cup for the first time; this time, they gave FC Barcelona more of a fight, losing by just one goal in Monaco.
War-Torn Ukraine
War in Ukraine has had a massive impact on football in the country. Shakhtar Donetsk play their home games in the league in Kyiv due to the instability in the Donetsk region, and their European matches are played outside the country.
Shakhtar Donestk - Notable Players
Here is a selection of the most well-known stars to have lined up for Shakhtar Donetsk in the recent past.
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Douglas Costa
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Henrikh Mkhitaryan
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Fernandinho
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Luiz Adriano
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Fred
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Eduardo da Silva
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Jadson
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Anatoly Tymoshchuk
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Darijo Srna
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Mykhailo Mudryk
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Willian
