Nikita Rukavytsya

Club

Western United FC

Position

Midfielder

Nationality

Australia

Date of birth

1987-06-22

Birthplace

Nikolaev, UdSSR

Height

1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)

Shirt number

13

Nikita Rukavytsya (born 22 June 1987) is an Australian professional football player who plays for Western United FC . He began his career as a striker at Perth Glory but has played primarily as a winger since moving to Europe.

Personal life
Rukavytsya was born in Mykolayiv, Ukraine; his family moved to Australia when he was 14 years old, settling in Perth. He played junior football for Inglewood United and Perth SC in the Football West State League while attending Mount Lawley Senior High School, before being offered a spot at the Australian Institute of Sport on a football scholarship.

Rukavytsya is married to an Israeli and is currently in the process of obtaining Israeli citizenship.

Club career
Rukavytsya joined Perth Glory on a short-term replacement deal in the latter stages of the 2006–07 A-League season, making three appearances for the club. In March 2007, he signed a contract with the Glory to keep him at the club until the end of the 2008–09 A-League season.

After an excellent pre-season, the start of the 2007–08 A-League season was difficult for both Rukavytsya and Perth Glory. However, with the departure of coach Ron Smith, Rukavytsya turned his form around starting by scoring two goals against the Newcastle Jets in David Mitchell's first game as coach and another two goals against Melbourne Victory at home on 2 December 2007. By the end of the 2007–08 A-League season, Rukavytsya managed to score six goals in the last eight games of the campaign.

In April 2008 he was invited to trial with Hannover 96 in Germany. It ultimately proved unsuccessful, and he returned to Perth Glory for the start of the 2008–09 season.

In January 2009, he undertook a week-long trial at Dutch club FC Twente. After the last game of the 2008–09 A-League season, it was announced that he would officially be transferring to FC Twente in a transfer deal rumoured to be worth A$1.2 Million.

Rukavytsya scored his first goal for FC Twente in the club's 8–0 Dutch Cup drubbing of SC Joure. On 8 January 2010, KSV Roeselare signed the Australian forward on loan until the end of the season.

On 14 July 2010, Rukavytsya signed for 2. Bundesliga side Hertha BSC. His first season in the 2. Bundesliga was quite successful. He was a regular starter, scored four goals and ended the season with 12 assists, the second most in the league. At season's end, Hertha BSC were promoted back to the Bundesliga and he hoped to feature again for the newly promoted team.

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