Oleksii Shliakotin

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Oleksii Shliakotin

| image = Oleksii Shliakotin.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Shliakotin with Rangers in 2017

| fullname = Oleksii Ihorovych Shliakotin

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|09|2|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR

| height = {{convert|1.97|m|abbr=on}}

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub = Rangers

| clubnumber = 30

| youthyears1 = 1997–2007

| youthclubs1 = Dynamo Kyiv

| years1 = 2006–2008

| clubs1 = Dynamo Kyiv

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2008–2009

| clubs2 = Czarni Żagań

| caps2 = 8

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2009–2010

| clubs3 = Chornomorets-2 Odesa

| caps3 = 7

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2010–2011

| clubs4 = Zagłębie Sosnowiec

| caps4 = 31

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2012–2014

| clubs5 = Korona Kielce

| caps5 = 9

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2013–2014

| clubs6 = Korona Kielce II

| caps6 = 9

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2015

| clubs7 = União da Madeira

| caps7 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| years9 = 2016–2017

| clubs9 = Biu Chun Glory Sky

| caps9 = 8

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2017–2018

| clubs10 = Rangers

| caps10 = 4

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2020–2022

| clubs11 = Rangers

| caps11 = 11

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2022–2024

| clubs12 = Sham Shui Po

| caps12 = 13

| goals12 = 0

| years13 = 2024

| clubs13 = → Rangers (loan)

| caps13 = 4

| goals13 = 0

| years14 = 2024–

| clubs14 = Rangers

| caps14 = 1

| goals14 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2005–2006

| nationalteam1 = Ukraine U17

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 1 September 2024

| ntupdate =

}}

Oleksii Ihorovych Shliakotin ({{langx|uk|Олексій Ігорович Шлякотін}}; born 2 September 1989) is a Ukrainian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Hong Kong Premier League club Rangers.

Club career

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Shliakotin is a graduate of the Dynamo Kyiv football academy of Valeriy Lobanovskyi, where he was enrolled in 1997, aged 8, by Oleksandr Lysenko, and played at its various levels. By doing so, he left his family home when was eleven.{{cite news|title=Ukrainian goalkeeper Oleksii Shliakotin: ‘I felt guilty when war began, but I am lucky – and I want to play for Hong Kong’|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3232695/ukrainian-goalkeeper-oleksii-shliakotin-i-felt-guilty-when-war-began-i-am-lucky-and-i-want-play-hong|website=South China Morning Post|date=30 August 2023|access-date=11 February 2024}} In 2005, he was called up to Ukraine national under-17 team. In 2006, he signed his first professional contract with the second division team Dynamo-3 Kyiv.

In July 2010, Shliakotin moved to Poland, where he played for the next five years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportowezaglebie.pl/ukrainski-wielkolud-na-%E2%80%9Eludowym%E2%80%9D/|title=Ukraiński wielkolud na "Ludowym" - sportowezaglebie.pl|website=sportowezaglebie.pl|language=pl-PL|access-date=2017-05-16}} In January 2011, he received an offer from MŠK Žilina, champions of Slovakia, but transfer never materialised.{{Cite web|url=http://msport.aktuality.sk/c/105780/msk-zilina-testuje-ukrajinskeho-brankara/|title=MŠK Žilina "testuje" ukrajinského brankára|last=Sport.sk|first=SPORT.SK|website=msport.aktuality.sk|language=sk|access-date=2017-05-16}}

In January 2012, Shliakotin was brought to the attention of Leszek Ojrzyński,{{Cite news|url=http://football.sport.ua/news/202902|title=Алексей ШЛЯКОТИН: "Тренер Короны – суперчеловек!"|last=Шаповалов|first=Михаил|work=СПОРТ.UA|access-date=2017-05-16|language=ru}} and subsequently signed for Korona Kielce,{{Cite news|url=http://korona-kielce.pl/news,4041-szlakotin-podpisal-kontrakt.html|title=Szlakotin podpisał kontrakt|access-date=2017-05-16|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106173818/http://korona-kielce.pl/news,4041-szlakotin-podpisal-kontrakt.html|archive-date=6 January 2018|url-status=dead}} where he has worked with Maciej Szczęsny.

In early July 2015, Shliakotin signed a two-year deal with recently promoted C.F. União.{{cite news | url=http://www.zerozero.pt/news.php?id=157593 | title=União da Madeira anuncia chegada de guarda-redes |trans-title=União da Madeira announces goalkeeper arrival | publisher=ZeroZero | language=Portuguese | date=3 July 2015 | access-date=3 July 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://football24.ua/ru/shljakotin_unian_madejra_priglasil_menja_bez_vsjacheskih_prosmotrov_n270338/|title=Шлякотин: "Униан Мадейра" пригласил меня без всяческих просмотров - Футбол 24|last=football24.ua|website=Футбол 24|access-date=2017-05-16}}

In 2016, he moved to Hong Kong to sign for Hong Kong Premier League club Biu Chun Glory Sky.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hkfa.com/en/club/201/detail?player=16065|title=Hong Kong Football Association Ltd|website=hkfa.com|access-date=2017-05-16}}

In May 2017, Shliakotin was nominated for "Goalkeeper of the Year", and "Player of The Year" in Hong Kong Premier League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/rusclubhk/posts/10155206407199598|title=Russian Club in Hong Kong|via=Facebook|language=en|access-date=2017-05-16}} Three of his saves were nominated for "Save of the Year" in Hong Kong Premier League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/394422737419738/videos/621048554757154/|title=我撐本地波|via=Facebook|language=en|access-date=2017-05-16}}

On 2 August 2017, it was revealed that Rangers had signed Shliakotin.{{cite web|title=季前熱身初戰取勝標準流浪下周試阿根廷前鋒|url=https://www.upower.com.hk/article/86249-%E5%AD%A3%E5%89%8D%E7%86%B1%E8%BA%AB%E5%88%9D%E6%88%B0%E5%8F%96%E5%8B%9D-%E6%A8%99%E6%BA%96%E6%B5%81%E6%B5%AA%E4%B8%8B%E5%91%A8%E8%A9%A6%E9%98%BF%E6%A0%B9%E5%BB%B7%E5%89%8D%E9%8B%92|website=Upower|access-date=2 August 2017}} {{in lang|zh-hk}}

On 22 October 2020, Rangers announced that Shliakotin would return to the club after two years away from the game.{{cite web |last1=Yuen |first1=Chi Ho |title=流浪飛馬漸揭神秘面紗林嘉緯有望重遇盧均宜：很期待 |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82%E9%AB%94%E8%82%B2/539196/%E6%B8%AF%E8%B6%85%E8%81%AF-%E6%B5%81%E6%B5%AA%E9%A3%9B%E9%A6%AC%E6%BC%B8%E6%8F%AD%E7%A5%9E%E7%A7%98%E9%9D%A2%E7%B4%97-%E6%9E%97%E5%98%89%E7%B7%AF%E6%9C%89%E6%9C%9B%E9%87%8D%E9%81%87%E7%9B%A7%E5%9D%87%E5%AE%9C-%E5%BE%88%E6%9C%9F%E5%BE%85 |website=HK01 |access-date=22 October 2020}} {{in lang|zh-hk}}

On 4 October 2022, he joined Sham Shui Po.

On 31 January 2024, Shliakotin was loaned to Rangers, before joining them on a permanent basis in July 2024.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

Personal life

Shliakotin is married to Panamanian restaurateur Elizabeth Caballero. {{Cite news|url=http://football.sport.ua/news/213525|title=Алексей ШЛЯКОТИН: "У Короны – задача выступить успешнее"|work=СПОРТ.UA|access-date=2017-05-16|language=ru}} He spoke out about the invasion in Ukraine, saying: "It’s definitely the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced in my life – definitely the hardest moments I’ve ever been through" and that his parents were living in Kyiv when the invasion took place.{{cite news|title=Hong Kong-based Ukraine footballer Oleksii Shliakotin describes ‘helplessness’ as parents forced into Kyiv bomb shelters|url=https://scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168534/hong-kong-based-ukraine-footballer-oleksii-shliakotin-describes|website=South China Morning Post|date=27 February 2022|access-date=11 February 2024}} As a result, his parents and sister lost their house and took refuge in Germany, where they received "refugee status".

Having lived in Hong Kong for seven years, he said he's open to playing for the national team and is eligible to apply for a Hong Kong passport.