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Alexander GladkiyUkrainian footballer, striker for Shakhtar Donetsk
Date of Birth: 24.08.1987
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Early Life and Career
- Rise in the Professional Ranks
- Success with Shakhtar Donetsk
- Move to Dnipro and Time with Karpaty
- Return to Shakhtar Donetsk and Move to Dynamo Kyiv
- Later Career and Return to Chornomorets
- International Career
- Personal Life
Early Life and Career
Oleksandr Gladsky was born in the Ukrainian city of Lozova on August 24, 1987. His passion for football began at a young age, and he joined the local youth academy DYuSSh, where he was coached by Sergey Lobach. At 14, he began playing for the reserve team of FC Avanhard Lozova in the regional league.
In 2004, Gladsky graduated from the Kharkiv Physical Culture College No. 1 and represented the college team in the Ukrainian Youth Football League, scoring around 40 goals in over 50 appearances.
Rise in the Professional Ranks
In 2004, Gladsky joined Metalist Kharkiv, playing for both the first and reserve teams in the Ukrainian Premier League and Ukrainian First League, respectively. In July 2004, he made his Premier League debut in a match against Vorskla Poltava.
He briefly moved to Arsenal Kharkiv in 2005 and helped the team gain promotion to the Premier League. However, the club was later replaced by FC Kharkiv, where Gladsky continued playing. In the 2006/07 season, he emerged as a top goalscorer, netting 13 goals and earning him the league's Golden Boot award.
Success with Shakhtar Donetsk
In the summer of 2007, Gladsky was signed by Shakhtar Donetsk for €2.5 million. He won both the league title and the Ukrainian Cup in his first season with the club, finishing as Shakhtar's top scorer with 17 goals. In 2009, he was part of the team that won the UEFA Cup, defeating Werder Bremen 2-1 in the final.
Move to Dnipro and Time with Karpaty
In August 2010, Gladsky transferred to FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk for a reported fee of €7 million. He later joined FC Karpaty Lviv on loan in 2012 and 2013.
Return to Shakhtar Donetsk and Move to Dynamo Kyiv
In May 2014, Gladsky signed a two-year contract with Shakhtar Donetsk. He set a record as the tournament's all-time top scorer by scoring his fourth goal in the Ukrainian Super Cup against Dynamo Kyiv.
In May 2016, Gladsky became a free agent and joined Dynamo Kyiv on a three-year contract, wearing the number 7 shirt. Six months later, he returned to Karpaty on loan. In July 2017, Dynamo granted Gladsky free agent status, and he subsequently signed a contract with Karpaty on a permanent basis.
Later Career and Return to Chornomorets
In 2018, Gladsky had a trial at Lech Poznań in Poland but ultimately joined Chornomorets Odesa. He played his 300th Ukrainian Premier League match against Zirka Kropyvnytskyi in May 2018. After Chornomorets was relegated to the First League, Gladsky left the club in 2018.
He joined Rizespor in the Turkish Super Lig in August 2018 but made only eight appearances without scoring. In January 2019, he moved to Adana Demirspor in the Turkish First League. In September 2020, he returned to Ukraine and signed with Zorya Luhansk.
In summer 2022, Gladsky signed a contract with Chornomorets Odesa for a second time.
International Career
Gladsky represented Ukraine at the U-17, U-19, and U-21 levels. He played in the final stages of the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and 2004 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, and participated in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship.
He made his senior debut for Ukraine in a friendly match against Uzbekistan in August 2007, scoring a goal. He earned a total of 11 caps and scored one goal for the national team.
