Formed in 1936, Donetsk are now one of the premier sides in the Ukraine, and its current champions. Knocked out of the Group C of Champions League in 3rd place behind Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon they went on to win the UEFA Cup in the 2008-09 season.
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Brief Club History
The team has played under the following names: Stakhanovets (1936-1946), Shakhtyor (1946-1992) and FC Shakhtar (since 1992). Shakhtar are one of 5 sides to have competed in every Premier Liha season since the end of the Soviet Vysshaya Liga in 1991.
Fans & Foes
Shakhtar’s biggest rivals are Dynamo Kyiv. Since the inaugural Premier Liha season in 1991 was won by SC Tavriya Simferopol every championship has gone to one of the two sides, meaning that while not geographically particularly close there is still a strong rivalry between the two sides.
Their other main rivalry, with Metalurh Donetsk, is a local affair, and although perhaps not as significant as games against their rivals from the capital, they are still keenly contested. The games between the two sides are known as the Donbass Derby, named after the region of which Donetsk is the capital.
Shakhtar’s anthem, translated into English, is below:
Glory to you, Shakhtar!
Heavens of football stars
Will always be on your side,
And the light of your best dreams
Is shining from above.
Chorus:
Beauty of green fields, that's for you, Shakhtar.
My fate is in your hands, you are the best, Shakhtar.
And for you, Shakhtar, the medal of my love
Will always shine on the pitch where you are,
And forever will protect you from defeat
The brightest football star!
Club Honours
Shakhtar are 4-times winners of the Ukrainian Championship, founded in 1992, including 3 titles in the last 4 seasons, and have finished as runners-up on 9 occasions. They have also won the Ukranian Cup 6 times since 1995.
They were twice runners-up of the USSR Championship in the 1970s, and won the old USSR Cup 4 times before the fall of the Soviet Union.
