Full name Vitalijs Maksimenko Number 6 Name Vitalijs Maksimenko Height 1.86 m Career start 2008 | Playing position 1996–2003 JFC Skonto Role Football player Weight 82 kg | |
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Date of birth (1990-12-08) 8 December 1990 (age 25) Place of birth Riga, Latvian SSR, USSR
(now Republic of Latvia) Current teams Latvia national football team (Defender, Midfielder), SV Mattersburg (Defender) Similar People Arturs Zjuzins, Valerijs Sabala, Kemy Agustien | ||
New Player : Latvian Star - Vitalijs Maksimenko
Vitālijs Maksimenko (born 8 December 1990) is a Latvian professional football defender, who plays for SV Mattersburg in the Austrian Bundesliga. Maksimenko also plays for the Latvia national football team.
Contents
- New Player Latvian Star Vitalijs Maksimenko
- Early career
- Skonto Riga
- Brighton Hove Albion
- Yeovil loan spell
- Kilmarnock loan spell
- VVV Venlo loan spell
- International career
- International goals
- Club
- Individual
- References
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 9 Latvian Higher League caps under his belt, the player went on trials with the Russian Premier League clubs Lokomotiv Moscow and CSKA Moscow. CSKA signed him on loan until the end of the season. 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. Leaving a good impression, he signed a contract with the club on 15 March 2010. Playing 25 matches in his debut season, Maksimenko helped Skonto become the champions of the Latvian Higher League. In 2011 they became the champions of Baltic League, but in 2012 won the Latvian Football Cup. Skonto finished the 2012 season as the runners-up of the league, with Maksimenko being included in both – Latvian Football Federation and sportacentrs.com teams of the tournament. 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.
Yeovil loan spell
On 18 March 2013, Maksimenko joined Football League One side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan deal. 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. 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. Maksimenko returned to Brighton having appeared 4 times for Yeovil.
Kilmarnock loan spell
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.
VVV-Venlo loan spell
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.
International career
Maksimenko has been a member of all age youth teams, including U-17, U-19 and U-21 levels. On 15 August 2012 he was firstly called up to the Latvia national football team for a friendly match against Montenegro. Maksimenko made his full international debut on 6 February 2013 in a 0–3 friendly match loss against Japan, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute and replacing Vladimirs Kamešs.