Vitālijs Maksimenko

Vitālijs Maksimenko (born 8 December 1990) is a Latvian professional football defender. He made his international debut for Latvia in 2013, earning over 50 appearances.

Vitālijs Maksimenko
Maksimenko playing for SV Mattersburg
Personal information
Full name Vitālijs Maksimenko[1]
Date of birth (1990-12-08) 8 December 1990
Place of birth Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
1996–2003 JFC Skonto
2003–2007 Daugava 90
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Daugava Rīga 9 (0)
2009 → CSKA Moscow (loan) 0 (0)
2010–2012 Skonto Riga 76 (2)
2013–2015 Brighton & Hove Albion 1 (0)
2013 → Yeovil Town (loan) 3 (0)
2014 → Kilmarnock (loan) 8 (1)
2014–2015 → VVV-Venlo (loan) 21 (0)
2015 FK Liepāja 2 (1)
2015–2017 SV Mattersburg 37 (0)
2017–2018 Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza 17 (1)
2018–2020 Olimpija Ljubljana 42 (2)
2020 Omiya Ardija 17 (0)
National team‡
2008–2009 Latvia U19 6 (0)
2010–2012 Latvia U21 17 (0)
2013– Latvia 51 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 January 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2019

Club career

Early career

As a youth player Vitālijs Maksimenko was a member of his local club Skonto Riga academy. At the age of 13 he moved to Daugava 90. In 2008 Maksimenko was taken to the club's first team Daugava Rīga. That year they became champions of the Latvian First League. Maksimenko made his first team debut in 2009. In mid-season, with nine Latvian Higher League appearances, Maksimenko went on trials with the Russian Premier League clubs Lokomotiv Moscow[2] and CSKA Moscow.[3] CSKA signed him on loan until the end of the season.[4] He played several matches for the club's reserves.

Skonto Riga

At the start of 2010 Maksimenko began training with the Latvian Higher League club Skonto Riga.[5] Leaving a good impression, he signed a contract with the club on 15 March 2010.[6] Playing 25 matches in his debut season, Maksimenko helped Skonto become the champions of the Latvian Higher League.[7] In 2011 they became the champions of Baltic League,[8] but in 2012 won the Latvian Football Cup.[9] Skonto finished the 2012 season as the runners-up of the league, with Maksimenko being included in both – Latvian Football Federation[10] and sportacentrs.com teams of the tournament.[11] He was also named the best defender of the season, and later on voted the best Skonto Riga player of the season.

Brighton & Hove Albion

At the end of 2012 Maksimenko went on trial with the English Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion. In spite of interest from other Football League Championship and Premier League clubs, he signed a two-and-a-half-year contract deal with the Seagulls on 5 January 2013, being added to the development squad.[12] He made his only league appearance for Brighton in a 2–1 defeat to Derby County in August 2013.[13]

Yeovil (loan)

On 18 March 2013, Maksimenko joined Football League One side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan deal.[14] Maksimenko made his Yeovil and Football League debut as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 defeat against Oldham Athletic, on 16 April 2013.[15] On 20 May 2013, Maksimenko appeared as a second-half substitute in the 2013 League One play-off Final as Yeovil beat Brentford to earn promotion to the Championship.[16] Maksimenko returned to Brighton having appeared four times for Yeovil.

Kilmarnock (loan)

On 24 January 2014, Maksimenko joined Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock on a loan deal lasting until the end of the 2013–14 Scottish Premiership season.[17] He scored his only goal for Kilmarnock in a 2-1 defeat to Partick Thistle.[18]

VVV-Venlo (loan)

On 1 September 2014, it was announced that Maksimenko was sent on loan to Dutch Eerste Divisie side VVV-Venlo until the end of the season.[19]

Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza

On 30 June 2017 he signed a contract with Polish side Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza.[20]

International career

Maksimenko has been a member of Latvian under-19 and under-21 levels.[21] On 15 August 2012 he was firstly called up to the Latvia national football team for a friendly match against Montenegro.[22] Maksimenko made his full international debut on 6 February 2013 in a 3–0 friendly match defeat against Japan, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute and replacing Vladimirs Kamešs.[23]

International goals
Score and Result list Latvia's goal tally first
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result CompetitionRef
1.31 March 2015Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine Ukraine
1–1
1–1
Friendly

Honours

Club
Skonto Riga
Yeovil Town
Olimpija Ljubljana

Individual

References
  1. "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  2. "Atskats uz 1. līgas sezonu (3. daļa) – 1. līga – Futbols –". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  3. "Rīgas "Daugava" pilnā sastāvā trenēsies tikai februāra beigās". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  4. "Rīgas "Daugavas" aizsargs pārceļas uz Maskavas "CSKA"". Sportacentrs.com. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  5. "Cauņam gaidāma operācija, bez futbola – vismaz mēnesi". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  6. "Juris Laizāns pievienojas "Skonto"". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  7. DELFI (7 November 2010). "Čempioni 'Skonto' ar pārliecinošu uzvaru noslēdz 'LMT Virslīgas' sezonu". Delfi.lv. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  8. ""Skonto" pendeļu trillerī uzvar "Ventspili" un triumfē Baltijas līgā". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  9. "Futbola Virslīga – Latvijas kausu iegūst Skonto FC". Futbolavirsliga.lv. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  10. "LFF: Virslīgas simboliskā izlase LFF vērtējumā". Latvian Football Federation. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  11. "Virslīgas sezonas simboliskā izlase". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  12. "Albion Sign Vitalijs Maksimenko". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 5 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  13. "Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Derby County – 10 August 2013 – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  14. "Yeovil sign Brighton's Maksimenko and Charlton's Cook". BBC Sport. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  15. "Oldham 1–0 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  16. "Brentford 1–2 Yeovil". BBC Sport. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  17. Barnes, John (24 January 2014). "Kilmarnock take Vitalijs Maksimenko on loan from Brighton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  18. "Kilmarnock 1-2 Partick Thistle". BBC. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  19. "Letse international Maksimenko naar VVV". L1. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  20. "Vitālijs Maksimenko piłkarzem Bruk-Betu Termaliki" (in Polish). 90minut. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  21. "Vitālijs Maksimenko – Latvijas Futbola federācija". Latvian Football Federation. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  22. "LFF: Latvijas izlases rindas papildina Vitālijs Maksimenko un Alans Sineļņikovs". Latvian Football Federation. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  23. "Latvijas izlasei sagrāve Japānā". Sportacentrs.com. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
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