Vitālijs Maksimenko

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Vitālijs Maksimenko

| image = File:FC Admira Wacker vs. SV Mattersburg 2015-12-12 (057).jpg

| caption = Maksimenko playing for SV Mattersburg in 2015

| fullname = Vitālijs Maksimenko{{Cite news |title = Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13|url= http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/4e/bd/0,,10794~179534,00.pdf |publisher= The Football League |date= 18 May 2013 |page= 8 |access-date= 2 June 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140802074454/http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/4e/bd/0,,10794~179534,00.pdf |archive-date= 2 August 2014 |url-status= dead}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|12|8|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union

| height = {{height|m=1.86|precision=0}}

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1996–2003

| youthclubs1 = JFC Skonto

| youthyears2 = 2003–2007

| youthclubs2 = Daugava 90

| years1 = 2008–2009

| clubs1 = Daugava Rīga

| caps1 = 9

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2009

| clubs2 = → CSKA Moscow (loan)

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2010–2012

| clubs3 = Skonto Riga

| caps3 = 76

| goals3 = 2

| years4 = 2013–2015

| clubs4 = Brighton & Hove Albion

| caps4 = 1

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2013

| clubs5 = → Yeovil Town (loan)

| caps5 = 3

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2014

| clubs6 = → Kilmarnock (loan)

| caps6 = 8

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2014–2015

| clubs7 = → VVV-Venlo (loan)

| caps7 = 21

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2015

| clubs8 = FK Liepāja

| caps8 = 2

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2015–2017

| clubs9 = SV Mattersburg

| caps9 = 37

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2017–2018

| clubs10 = Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza

| caps10 = 17

| goals10 = 1

| years11 = 2018–2020

| clubs11 = Olimpija Ljubljana

| caps11 = 42

| goals11 = 2

| years12 = 2020

| clubs12 = Omiya Ardija

| caps12 = 17

| goals12 = 0

| years13 = 2021

| clubs13 = Olimpija Ljubljana

| caps13 = 9

| goals13 = 0

| years14 = 2022

| clubs14 = RFS

| caps14 = 17

| goals14 = 0

| years15 = 2023–2024

| clubs15 = Aiolikos

| caps15 = 15

| goals15 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2008–2009

| nationalteam1 = Latvia U19

| nationalcaps1 = 6

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2010–2012

| nationalteam2 = Latvia U21

| nationalcaps2 = 17

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2013–2024

| nationalteam3 = Latvia

| nationalcaps3 = 54

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| club-update = 11 January 2025

| nationalteam-update = 11 January 2025

}}

Vitālijs Maksimenko (born 8 December 1990) is a Latvian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He made his international debut for Latvia in 2013, earning over 50 appearances.

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 for trials with the Russian Premier League clubs Lokomotiv Moscow{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/1_liga/07122008-atskats_uz_1_ligas_sezonu_3_dala |title=Atskats uz 1. līgas sezonu (3. daļa) – 1. līga – Futbols – |date=7 December 2008 |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |access-date=14 February 2013}} and CSKA Moscow.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/18012009-rigas_daugava_pilna_sastava_trenesies_tik |title=Rīgas "Daugava" pilnā sastāvā trenēsies tikai februāra beigās |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |access-date=14 February 2013}} CSKA signed him on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/legionari/31072009-rigas_daugavas_aizsargs_parcelas_uz_maska |title=Rīgas "Daugavas" aizsargs pārceļas uz Maskavas "CSKA" |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |date=31 July 2009 |access-date=14 February 2013}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/22022010-caunam_gaidama_operacija_bez_futbola_vism |title=Cauņam gaidāma operācija, bez futbola – vismaz mēnesi |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |access-date=14 February 2013}} Leaving a good impression, he signed a contract with the club on 15 March 2010.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/15032010-juris_laizans_pievienojas_skonto |title=Juris Laizāns pievienojas "Skonto" |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |access-date=14 February 2013}} Playing 25 matches in his debut season, Maksimenko helped Skonto become the champions of the Latvian Higher League.{{cite web|author=DELFI |url=http://www.delfi.lv/sports/news/football/news/cempioni-skonto-ar-parliecinosu-uzvaru-nosledz-lmt-virsligas-sezonu.d?id=35036479 |title=Čempioni 'Skonto' ar pārliecinošu uzvaru noslēdz 'LMT Virslīgas' sezonu |publisher=Delfi (web portal) |date=7 November 2010 |access-date=14 February 2013}} In 2011 they became the champions of Baltic League,{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/citi_latvijas_turniri/18062011-skonto_negaiditi_uzvar_ventspili_un_trium |title="Skonto" pendeļu trillerī uzvar "Ventspili" un triumfē Baltijas līgā |date=18 June 2011 |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |access-date=14 February 2013}} and won the Latvian Football Cup in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.futbolavirsliga.lv/index.php/jaunumi/26-klubu-jaunumi/skonto-fc/346-latvijas-kausu-iegust-skonto-fc |title=Futbola Virslīga – Latvijas kausu iegūst Skonto FC |publisher=Futbolavirsliga.lv |access-date=14 February 2013}} Skonto finished the 2012 season as the runners-up of the league, with Maksimenko being included in both – Latvian Football Federation{{cite web|url=http://www.lff.lv/lv/virsliga/fixtures/2012/simboliskaizlase/ |title=LFF: Virslīgas simboliskā izlase LFF vērtējumā |publisher=Latvian Football Federation|access-date=14 February 2013}} and sportacentrs.com teams of the tournament.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/04122012-sportacentrs_com_virsligas_sezonas_simbol |title=Virslīgas sezonas simboliskā izlase |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |access-date=14 February 2013}} He was also named the best defender of the season, and later on voted as the best Skonto Riga player of the season.

= Brighton and 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/albion-sign-vitalijs-maksimenko-579622.aspx|title=Albion Sign Vitalijs Maksimenko|publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|date=5 January 2013|access-date=5 January 2013}} He made his only league appearance for Brighton in a 2–1 defeat to Derby County in August 2013.{{cite web |title=Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Derby County – 10 August 2013 – Soccerway |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/08/10/england/championship/brighton--hove-albion-fc/derby-county-fc/1483852/ |publisher=Soccerway |access-date=8 February 2021}}

== Yeovil (loan) ==

On 18 March 2013, Maksimenko joined Football League One side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan deal.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21835596 |title=Yeovil sign Brighton's Maksimenko and Charlton's Cook |work=BBC Sport |date=18 March 2013 |access-date=18 March 2013 }} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22075591 |title=Oldham 1–0 Yeovil |work=BBC Sport |date=16 April 2013 |access-date=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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22499110 |title=Brentford 1–2 Yeovil |work=BBC Sport |date=19 May 2013 |access-date=20 May 2013 }} 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 till the end of the 2013–14 Scottish Premiership season.{{cite web|title=Kilmarnock take Vitalijs Maksimenko on loan from Brighton|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25865931|work=BBC Sport|last=Barnes|first=John|date=24 January 2014|access-date=26 January 2014}} He scored his only goal for Kilmarnock in a 2–1 defeat to Partick Thistle.{{cite news

|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26998883

|title=Kilmarnock 1–2 Partick Thistle

|work=BBC Sport

|date=19 April 2014 |access-date=1 May 2020}}

==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.{{cite web|title=Letse international Maksimenko naar VVV|url=http://www.l1.nl/sport/266300-letse-international-maksimenko-naar-vvv|publisher=L1|date=1 September 2014|access-date=1 September 2014}}

= Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza =

On 30 June 2017 he signed a contract with a Polish club named Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza.{{cite web |url=http://www.90minut.pl/news/278/news2787216-Vitalijs-Maksimenko-pilkarzem-Bruk-Betu-Termaliki.html |title=Vitālijs Maksimenko piłkarzem Bruk-Betu Termaliki |publisher=90minut |date=29 June 2017 |access-date=30 June 2017 |language=pl}}

International career

Maksimenko has been a member of Latvian under-19 and under-21 levels.{{cite web |title=Vitālijs Maksimenko – Latvijas Futbola federācija |url=https://lff.lv/speletaji/vitalijs-maksimenko-16440/ |publisher=Latvian Football Federation |access-date=8 February 2021}} On 15 August 2012 he was firstly called from the Latvia national football team for a friendly match against Montenegro.{{cite web|url=http://www.lff.lv/lv/news/2012/augusts/21/ |title=LFF: Latvijas izlases rindas papildina Vitālijs Maksimenko un Alans Sineļņikovs |publisher=Latvian Football Federation |access-date=14 February 2013}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/latvijas_izlase/06022013-latvijas_izlasei_sagrave_japana |title=Latvijas izlasei sagrāve Japānā |publisher=Sportacentrs.com |date=6 February 2013 |access-date=14 February 2013}}

= International goals =

:Score and Result list Latvia's goal tally first

| 1. || 31 March 2015 || Arena Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine || {{fb|UKR}} || {{center|1–1}} || {{center|1–1}} || Friendly || [https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/03/31/world/friendlies/ukraine/latvia/2013997/]

Honours

Skonto Riga

Yeovil Town

Football League One play-offs: 2012–13

Olimpija Ljubljana

Slovenian Cup: 2018–19, 2020–21

Individual

Best defender of Latvian Higher League: 2012
Skonto Riga Player of the Season: 2012

References

External links

{{Soccerbase|name=Vitalijs Maksimenko}}
{{NFT player|pid=51038}}
{{90minut|20151}}
{{soccerway|vitlijs-maksimenko/101447}}
{{J.League player}}
https://futbolavirsliga.lv Official Latvia Higher Football League Website (in Latvian)

Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Riga

Category:Latvian people of Ukrainian descent

Category:Latvian men's footballers

Category:21st-century Latvian sportsmen

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:Men's association football central defenders

Category:Men's association football fullbacks

Category:Latvia men's youth international footballers

Category:Latvia men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Latvia men's international footballers