Viktor Viktorovych Kovalenko (; born 14 February 1996) is a Ukrainian professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Olympiakos Nicosia and the Ukraine national team.
Club career
Shakhtar Donetsk Kovalenko is product of youth team of Shakhtar Donetsk. He made his début in the Ukrainian Premier League for Shakhtar in the game against Vorskla Poltava on 28 February 2015. On 9 May 2015, he made his first direct contribution for the first team when assisting the fifth and sixth goals for Shakhtar in a 7–3 win over Hoverla Uzhhorod.
On 20 February 2020, Kovalenko scored the winning goal in Shakhtar's 2–1 win against Benfica in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 32 clash.
On 17 October 2020, Kovalenko scored twice in the first 18 minutes of Shakhtar's 5–1 hammering of FC Lviv in the Ukrainian Premier League.
Atalanta On 1 February 2021, with less than six months remaining in his contract with Shakhtar, Kovalenko signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Serie A club Atalanta for a reported fee of €700,000. He made his debut for the club on 21 March, as an 87th-minute substitute for fellow countryman Ruslan Malinovskyi in a Serie A 2–0 win at Verona.
Loans to Spezia On 8 August 2021, Kovalenko joined fellow Serie A side Spezia on a season-long loan.
On 2 August 2022, he returned to Spezia on another loan, with Spezia holding an obligation to buy if the club avoids relegation.
Release by Atalanta Kovalenko was released from his contract by Atalanta in August 2024 at the end of the summer transfer window.
Empoli On 11 February 2025, Kovalenko signed for Empoli on a free transfer after being released.
Aris Limassol In September 2025 Kovalenko moved to Cypriot First Division club Aris LImassol on a two-year contract.
Olympiakos Nicosia In February 2026 he moved to Olympiakos Nicosia.
International career Kovalenko was called up by Ukraine to play in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. He scored two goals in a 6–0 victory over Myanmar and added a hat-trick against the United States to secure 3–0 win at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland, as the team reached the round of 16. He won the Golden Boot of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup with five goals.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsShakhtar Donetsk2014–15Ukrainian Premier League20200000402015–16Ukrainian Premier League23072152104642016–17Ukrainian Premier League28710831038102017–18Ukrainian Premier League2744150103752018–19Ukrainian Premier League2573060103772019–20Ukrainian Premier League1711091002722020–21Ukrainian Premier League84003000114Total130231834864020032Atalanta2020–21Serie A1000——10Spezia (loan)2021–22Serie A26110——271Spezia (loan)2022–23Serie A19010——200Empoli (loan)2023–24Serie A17100——171Empoli2024–25Serie A6021——81Career total199262244864027336
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsUkraine2016100201760201840201960202040202130Total330
Honours Shakhtar Donetsk Ukrainian Premier League: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20 Ukrainian Cup: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19 Ukrainian Super Cup: 2015, 2017
Individual FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Shoe: 2015 Ukrainian Premier League Best young player: 2015–16 Golden talent of Ukraine: 2015 (U-19), 2016 (U-21)
References
External links
Viktor Kovalenko at Topforward