Former Perth Glory, Western Sydney Wanderers and Western United striker Nikita Rukavytsya has announced his retirement from professional football.
In a career spanning close to 17 years, the 37-year-old retired Socceroo took to social media to confirm he was hanging up the boots having been without a club since leaving Western United at the end of the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
“After such a long and incredible journey it’s time for me to step aside,” he said.
“We both know no matter what I do next, I will always be that 6 year old boy with a ball under my arm walking out to play on the street and after every goal picturing a celebration with a full stadium screaming my name!
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“To all my teams, teammates, coaches, all the staff workers from all of my clubs and national team, big thank you, I appreciate every single one of you.”
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Joining Perth Glory as an injury-replacement during the 2006-07 Isuzu UTE A-League season, the striker was subsequently signed on a permanent contract by the club and went on to score 18 goals in 47 appearances.
Awarded the Harry Kewell Medal for his performances in 2008, Rukavytsya then sealed a move overseas to Dutch side FC Twente before later playing for German sides such as Hertha Berlin, Mainz 05 and FSV Frankfurt.
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Rukavytsya briefly returned to Australia, signing a one-year deal with Western Sydney Wanderers for the 2014-15 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign before then spending the bulk of his career in the Israeli Premier League playing for the likes of Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
In 2022, Rukavytsya became the leading foreign goalscorer in the Israeli Premier League.
His third and final stint in the Isuzu UTE A-League came in the 2023-24 season where he played one season for Western United before calling quits on his career.
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Despite being born in Ukraine, Rukavystsya opted to play for Australia and went on to represented the Olyroos at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing before firmly establishing himself as part of the senior set-up.
Part of the squad selected by Pim Verbeek for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Rukavytsya would go on to play 23-times for the Socceroos, scoring one goal.
