Mkhitaryan was a member of the senior side in his native country from 2007 until his international retirement in 2022. He is Armenia's all-time top goalscorer, scoring 32 goals in 95 matches, as well as registering their firsthat-trick. He has been namedArmenian Footballer of the Year twelve times, including seven years consecutively from 2011 to 2017. Mkhitaryan was also voted theCIS Footballer of the Year in 2012 and 2013, making him the first Armenian footballer to be named the best player from the post-Soviet countries.[9][10]
Mkhitaryan was born on 21 January 1989 in the Soviet Armenian capital city ofYerevan to Marina Taschyan andHamlet Mkhitaryan. His father was a prominent striker forFC Ararat Yerevan during the 1980s, who died of abrain tumor at age 33 when Henrikh was seven years old.[11] Marina Taschyan's mother wasRussian fromMoscow.[12]
The death of his father impacted Mkhitaryan significantly. He feels that if his father was still alive that "everything would be different." He gave him useful advice from a professional point of view. People who have watched Mkhitaryan and his father, say that their styles resemble each other very much. He has said, "I believe he sees me and is proud of me..."[13][14] His mother is the head of the national teams department in theArmenian Football Federation and his elder sister, Monika, works atUEFA's headquarters.[15]
At the beginning of the 1990s, the Mkhitaryan family moved toFrance, where Hamlet Mkhitaryan played for the now defunctASOA Valence and helped them to be promoted to the second division. Mkhitaryan spent his early childhood inValence.[16] He always wanted to become a football player and began to follow in his father's footsteps. As a child, he would watch his father play and always wanted to follow him to training. The Mkhitaryans returned to Yerevan in 1995. In the same year, Mkhitaryan joined the youth system ofFC Pyunik. He graduated from theInstitute of Physical Culture in Armenia. He studiedeconomics at the Yerevan branch of theSt. Petersburg Institute. Upon graduation, he planned to study there as alawyer.[17][18] In 2003, at the age of 14, Mkhitaryan had trials withSão Paulo in Brazil where he played alongside the likes ofHernanes andOscar.[19] He returned toPyunik in 2004, then managerMihai Stoichiță insisted on his return to Armenia. Growing up, Mkhitaryan consideredZinedine Zidane his football idol.[20]
Mkhitaryan joined theFC Pyunik youth system in 1995 and received his first salary at the age of 15.[21] He was later promoted to the first team of FC Pyunik, making his professional debut in 2006 at the age of 17. He last played for the club in the2009 season. During that season he scored 11 league goals in 10 league games. In his four seasons in the Pyunik first team, they won the Armenian Premier League on four occasions (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009). They also won theArmenian Supercup twice (2007 and 2009) and theArmenian Cup once (2009).Armenia national football team and Pyunik head coachVardan Minasyan admitted that he would love to see his star player "playing in a stronger league." Minasyan stated young Henrikh was well on his way to becoming a legend in his own right. He said of Mkhitaryan, "He can win games on his own. He seizes control at the crucial moment and scores for fun."[22]
The followingseason he was named captain of the club on 14 July 2010, at the age 21, making him the youngest captain in Metalurh Donetsk history.[28] He scored his first goal of the season, an 89th-minute penalty, in a 3–0 victory over Obolon Kyiv on 16 July 2010.[29] He played his final match for the club in a 2–1 win against Dnipro on 30 August 2010.[30] In his second season, he played eight matches and scored three goals, all of which were in the league. He made 37 league appearances during his time at Metalurh, scoring 12 goals.[31] In total he played 45 matches for the club, scoring 16 times.
On 30 August 2010, he sealed a $7.5 million switch to reigningPremier League championsShakhtar Donetsk.[32] Before signing with Shakhtar, Mkhitaryan was in trial withIran Pro League sideMes Kerman which he was rejected by head coachSamad Marfavi.[33] His debut came on 10 September 2010 in a 1–0 away league defeat toObolon Kyiv, being replaced after 62 minutes byEduardo.[34] Hishome debut was more successful, with Shakhtar coming back from a goal behind to win 4–1 againstTavriya Simferopol on 19 September 2010.[35] He scored his first goal for the club in this match. Three days later he made his first appearance in theUkrainian Cup, netting the second goal in a 6–0 win overKryvbas.[36] On 25 September 2010, he scored a late injury time winner in a 2–1 away victory overMetalist Kharkiv.[37] He made his European debut for the club in theChampions League on 28 September 2010 againstSporting Braga winning 3–0.[38] He made an appearance in the 2–0Ukrainian Cup Final victory againstDynamo Kyiv, coming on in the 81st minute in place ofJádson.[39] His firstseason with the club was extremely successful for Shakhtar as they won the treble (Premier League,Ukrainian Cup and theSuper Cup).[40]
"It wasn't easy for him from the start, but his integration was speeded up by his high level of football intelligence. His game awareness is perhaps his most valuable quality – that and the speed and power and technique Henrikh was gifted by nature and that he's developed. Because of those virtues, he's one of the players who most consistently fulfils the tasks set by the coaching staff. Working with him is fun."
On 11 May 2013, Mkhitaryan scored his 23rd and 24th goals of the Premier League season in a 5–0 victory over Tavria. These goals set aUkrainian Premier League record for most goals in a season.[57][58] Mkhitaryan finished the season with 25 league goals, and the attacking midfielder was praised for his technique and dedication.[59]
On 25 June 2013, Borussia Dortmund made a €23 million bid,[60] but in confirming the offer Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin insisted that it fell short of the club's valuation, which was a single payment of €30 million.[61] On 5 July 2013, it was reported that Borussia Dortmund had succeeded in talks with Shakhtar and Mkhitaryan was on his way to Germany for a medical test.[62][63] On 8 July 2013, Borussia Dortmund announced that it was set to sign a four-year deal with Mkhitaryan for €25 million[64][65][66][67] Shakhtar and Borussia officially "resolved all the necessary formalities" and agreed on €27.5 million,[4][68] making him the most expensive purchase in the club's history.[69]
On his debut in a pre-season friendly againstFC Basel on 10 July 2013, Mkhitaryan set up a goal forMarco Reus in the 11th minute and scored his first goal for the club 16 minutes later, helping his side to a 3–1 victory away atSt. Jakob-Park.[70][71][72] Mkhitaryan couldn't take part and wasn't listed in the squad at the2013 DFL-Supercup which his club won due to an injury he received on a friendly game before that. Mkhitaryan debuted for Dortmund following his return from a three weeks sustained injury in the second round of 2013–14 Bundesliga on 18 August 2013 in a home victory overEintracht Braunschweig atSignal Iduna Park.[73] Mkhitaryan's first two Bundesliga goals were decisive in a 2–1 win overEintracht Frankfurt to keep Dortmund in first place in the Bundesliga.[74] His first Champions League goal for Dortmund came in a 2–1 away win againstArsenal.
Mkhitaryan finished his season with nine goals and ten assists in the Bundesliga and was included in the WhoScored Bundesliga Team of the Season.[75][76] His team finished runner-up at the2013–14 Bundesliga, and runner-up for the2013–14 DFB-Pokal.
The first trophy Mkhitaryan won with Dortmund was the2014 DFL-Supercup, scoring the first goal in the 2–0 victory overBayern Munich.[77] In September 2014, Mkhitaryan suffered an injury that sidelined him for a month[78] and on 13 December 2014 he was injured again.[79] He scored the second goal of a 3–0 win againstrivalsSchalke 04 on 28 February 2015.[80]
On 6 August 2015, Dortmund played againstWolfsberger AC in the third qualifying round second leg of the Europa League,Thomas Tuchel's first home match as coach. Mkhitaryan scored a late hat-trick for a 5–0 victory, 6–0 on aggregate.[81] Three days later, he scored the second goal in a 2–0 win at3. Liga clubChemnitzer FC in the first round of theDFB-Pokal.[82] On 15 August 2015, Mkhitaryan scored a brace in a 4–0 win againstBorussia Mönchengladbach in the first league game of the season.[83] Five days later, he headed the winning goal as Dortmund came from 3–0 down to win 4–3 atOdds BK in the first leg of their Europa Leagueplay-off.[84]
In the second round of the domestic cup on 28 October 2015, Mkhitaryan scored the final goal of a 7–1 rout ofSC Paderborn 07.[85] Eight days later, his goal confirmed a 4–0 home win overGabala FK, securing a place in thelast 32 of the Europa League.[86]
On 20 April 2016, Mkhitaryan was one of three goalscorers as Borussia won 3–0 away atHertha BSC in the semi-final of the DFB-Pokal.[87]
At the end of the season, Mkhitaryan was voted the Bundesliga Players' Player of the Season.[88][89] He finished the league as the assist leader with 15 assists.[90][91]
On 2 July 2016, Dortmund chief executiveHans-Joachim Watzke said that the sale of Mkhitaryan to England'sManchester United would be inevitable as the player would leave for free had he stayed one more year.[92] Four days later, Mkhitaryan joined them on a four-year contract for a transfer fee reported variously as between £27 million and £30 million,[6][93] with the option to extend for a further year.[94] He became the first Armenian to join a Premier League club.[95]
Mkhitaryan made his debut in a 2–0 victory in a pre-season match againstWigan Athletic on 15 July 2016.[96] On 7 August 2016, he made his competitive debut as a stoppage-time substitute in a 2–1 victory againstLeicester City in the2016 FA Community Shield.[97] He became the first Armenian to play in the Premier League on 14 August 2016 when he came on as a 75th-minute substitute forJuan Mata in a 3–1 away victory againstAFC Bournemouth.[98][99] He made his first Premier League start for Manchester United in theManchester derby on 10 September 2016, but he was substituted at half-time.[100]
On 8 December 2016, Mkhitaryan scored his first goal for the club, away againstZorya Luhansk, in Manchester United's last group match of theEuropa League.[101] Three days later, in United's next game, Mkhitaryan scored his first Premier League goal (and his first goal atOld Trafford) in a 1–0 victory overTottenham Hotspur; however, he left the game in the second half after suffering an ankle injury in a tackle byDanny Rose.[102] He returned from this injury two matches later, coming off the bench to score United's third goal againstSunderland, ascorpion kick which he described as being the best goal he had ever scored;[103] however, replays after the goal suggested Mkhitaryan was in an offside position when the ball was played to him.[104] In aUEFA Europa League tie againstAS Saint-Étienne on 22 February 2017, Mkhitaryan scored but then went off injured.[105] As a result, he missed the2017 EFL Cup Final.[106] He scored in the2017 Europa League final to help Manchester United beatAjax 2–0,[107] and became the first Armenian to win a major European trophy.[108]
In the first three matches of the2017–18 Premier League season, Mkhitaryan assisted a record-equalling five goals.[109] Two days later, he scored his first goal of the season in a 4–0 victory overEverton.[110] He scored his firstChampions League goal for Manchester United ten days later in a 4–1 away win againstCSKA Moscow.[111] However, following a run of poor form, Mkhitaryan was dropped from the starting line-up during United's 4–1 victory overNewcastle United. He returned for the following match againstBrighton and Hove Albion but then faced a five Premier League match absence from the squad. He returned to the squad for three games in late December but was dropped again for his final three United games. During this period, Mkhitaryan's relationship with managerJosé Mourinho reportedly became strained, with Mourinho publicly questioning his consistency and contribution to the team. According toThe Guardian, the pair's differences over playing style and work rate contributed to Mkhitaryan's eventual departure from Manchester United.[112] Mkhitaryan later revealed in his book, "La mia vita sempre al centro" (My Life Always at the Center), that Mourinho had even texted him to leave the club.[113][114]
On 22 January 2018,Arsenal announced the signing of Mkhitaryan from Manchester United, as part of a swap deal withAlexis Sánchez moving in the other direction.[8] On 3 February 2018, he made his first start for Arsenal in a 5–1 home win overEverton, claiming three assists.[115] Mkhitaryan returned from injury to face Manchester United at Old Trafford, scoring Arsenal's only goal in an eventual 2–1 loss, refusing to celebrate the goal out of respect for his former team.[116]
Mkhitaryan scored a goal and an assist in Arsenal's second games of the2018–19 season againstLondon rivalsChelsea, losing the match 3–2.[117] He scored a brace againstSouthampton in another 3–2 defeat,[118] before suffering ametatarsal fracture in the following game, a 2–0North London derbyLeague Cup defeat.[119][120] Mkhitaryan return to the squad to get two goals and three assists across his second and third game back, helping Arsenal in their 2–0 win overSouthampton[121] and 5–1 win over Bournemouth.[122]
Mkhitaryan was at the centre of a controversy ahead of the2019 UEFA Europa League final inBaku, Azerbaijan between Arsenal and Chelsea;Armenia and Azerbaijan do not have international relations and people of Armenian descent are forbidden entry to Azerbaijan without prior formal authorisation.[123] He was promised guarantees of security, but did not travel over safety fears.[124][125] Mkhitaryan and Arsenal ultimately decided that he would not travel with the squad to the final match, as he previously opted twice not to travel to Azerbaijan, the first was in 2015 to play for Borussia Dortmund againstGabala, and the second was in 2018 for Arsenal againstQarabağ.[126]
Mkhitaryan played three games for Arsenal before, on 2 September 2019, he joined Italian clubA.S. Roma on a season-long loan deal for €3 million, plus an additional €100,000 in variables.[127] Mkhitaryan made his debut againstSassuolo on 15 September and scored a goal in Roma's 4–2 win.[128] In late September, Mkhitaryan suffered an injury to hisadductor muscle in a 1–0 win overLecce. Initially expected to be out for three weeks, he returned to the squad in late November.[129][130] On his first game back from injury, Mkhitaryan scored in a 3–1 win overHellas Verona.[131] He then scored two games later againstSPAL on 12 December 2019, sending Roma up to fourth place in theSerie A table.[132]
In January 2020, Mkhitaryan suffered a second injury of the season to his thigh muscle putting him out for a further month.[133] For the third time, he scored on his return to the squad, in a 3–2 loss toBologna.[134] He later scored in back to back victories overLecce,[135] andCagliari.[136]
On 31 August 2020, Mkhitaryan's contract with Arsenal was cancelled by mutual consent and he joined Roma on a permanent deal.[137] On 5 November 2020, Mkhitaryan scored the club's fastest-ever goal in theUEFA Europa League, after just 57 seconds, in a 5–0 defeat ofRomanian outfitCFR Cluj.[138] Three days later, he scored a hat-trick for Roma in a 3–1Serie A win atGenoa.[139]
His former coach José Mourinho was appointed as Roma manager ahead of the 2021–22 season, and the two were reunited despite their previously strained relationship at Manchester United.[140] On 25 May 2022, Mkhitaryan was part of the starting eleven in theConference League final againstFeyenoord, which Roma won 1–0 with a goal fromNicolò Zaniolo.[141]
Mkhitaryan signed for Serie A club Inter Milan on 2 July 2022.[142] On 26 October, he scored his first Champions League goal with Inter in a 4–0 win overViktoria Plzeň, which secured his club's qualification to theknockout phase.[143] On 10 May 2023, Mkhitaryan scored a goal in a 2–0 win over rivalsMilan in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.[144] On 10 June 2023, he became the first Armenian to participate in theUEFA Champions League final, by making asubstitute appearance againstManchester City.[145]
Mkhitaryan scored a brace againstAC Milan in a 5–1 derby win on 16 September 2023.[146] On 30 December that year, he extended his contract with Inter Milan until 30 June 2026.[147] In the2023–24 season, he achieved his first Serie A title with the club.[148] In the following season, he played a key role for Inter Milan during their Champions League campaign,[149] and started in their secondChampions League final in two years.[150]
He scored six goals for Armenia inUEFA Euro 2012qualifying Group B, thus becoming top goalscorer in that group.[152] Although Armenia did not advance past the qualifying stage for UEFA Euro 2012, Mkhitaryan's performances landed him in the UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying Dream Team with six goals.
On 10 September 2013, in the absence of regular skipper goalkeeperRoman Berezovsky, Mkhitaryan captained his country for the first time, as they lost 0–1 at home toDenmark inWorld Cup qualification.[153] He became the top scorer in the history of the Armenia national team, after scoring his 12th goal for the national team in a 3–1 defeat toItaly in another qualifier on 15 October. This surpassed the 11 scored for the nation byArtur Petrosyan.[154]
On 27 May 2014, he scored twice in a 4–3 friendly win against theUnited Arab Emirates at theStade de la Fontenette inCarouge, Switzerland.[155] Two years and a day later, he scored Armenia's first international hat-trick in a 7–1 friendly win overGuatemala in Los Angeles.[156]
In March 2022, Mkhitaryan announced his international retirement.[157]
Mkhitaryan is anattacking midfielder, who is also capable of playing as asecond striker or as awinger. He excels playing in a central role, just behind thestrikers, where he often looks to link up with his teammates in and around the penalty area. He is known for his ability to draw away opposing defenders and, in turn, create space for his teammates to exploit, leading to goal scoring opportunities, courtesy of his offensive movement, technique, and vision. Mkhitaryan has also been praised for his precisepassing,dribbling ability, creativity, ball control andwork rate, as well as his eye for the final pass; his skill and trickery on the ball enables him to beat defenders in one on one situations. Furthermore, he possesses an accurate shot.[158][159]
Tom Jones, who was caretaker of Armenian national team when Mkhitaryan began playing in 2007, praised him in 2011 as "definitely good enough to play in the Premier League. He is very creative, gets his fair share of goals and is also extremely hard-working and has a great attitude."[160] During the 2012–13 season, former Scottish footballerPat Nevin said of Mkhitaryan, "Eleven goals in eight league matches already is fantastic, but when you add that he is a midfielder, it is phenomenal. You may not have heard of him yet, even if all the scouts at the top European clubs have, but you soon will. He has pace, skill, a rocket of a shot and the ability to arrive in the box likeFrank Lampard. This all singles him out as a player who must be watched or more importantly marked."[161]
Mkhitaryan is apolyglot,[162] who speaks eight languages:Armenian,French,Portuguese,Russian,Ukrainian,English,Italian[163] andGerman. He attributes his knowledge of Russian to his maternal grandmother, who was ofRussian ethnicity.[12][164] He learned the first three languages in his childhood, while the latter four he picked up playing in Ukraine, England, Italy, and Germany.[108] Shakhtar'sDonbass Arena has a tradition of playing music each time home players score goals, with a track corresponding to the nationality of a scorer. "Sabre Dance" by Armenian composerAram Khachaturian was played whenever Mkhitaryan scored. This song became very popular in Donetsk due to Mkhitaryan scoring frequently.[15][165]
In June 2019, Mkhitaryan married Betty Vardanyan at the monastery ofSan Lazzaro degli Armeni, nearVenice, Italy.[166] She is the granddaughter ofHrant Vardanyan, the founder of Grand Holding, Armenia's main cigarettes and candy producer.[167] Famous ItaliantenorAl Bano made a surprise appearance to his marriage.[168] On 4 March 2020, their son, Hamlet Mkhitaryan was born.[169]
A poster of Mkhitaryan on a balcony in Yerevan, Armenia
Mkhitaryan has been nicknamedHeno (Հենո), short for Henrikh, by his fans in Armenia; he appreciates its informality.[170]
Soon after joining Borussia Dortmund, he was often nicknamedMicki by international fans.[171] Mkhitaryan did not approve of this and personally asked his fans to respect his Armenian family name, stating, "I have come to a foreign country and respect its laws and traditions, but I do want them to respect my love for homeland and my roots. I will not adapt and change anything. I'm going to score goals, then they will definitely remember my name."[172][173] He stated in an interview that it was Borussia managerJürgen Klopp who gave him that nickname because his surname is too long to pronounce, and he later responded that it is OK to use that nickname.[174] His verifiedInstagram account is namedmicki_taryan.[175]
In 2012, by the decision of theYerevan City Council, and in connection with the city's 2,794th anniversary, Mkhitaryan was awarded with the "Honorary Citizen of Yerevan" title, for his great success in football and his brilliant achievements in sports.[176]
Mkhitaryan has visitedArtsakh three times on charity visits. In December 2011, Mkhitaryan visitedStepanakert, capital of the disputed territory, and donated gifts to the families of fallen soldiers. He was subsequently awarded the NKR Prime Minister's medal.[177] In September 2020, amid theNagorno-Karabakh war, Mkhitaryan called for international action to stop Azerbaijan from shelling civilian areas of Artsakh and urged international community to recognize Artsakh's independence.[178]
^Ghazanchyan, Siranush (27 May 2014)."Armenia beats UAE 4–3". Public Radio of Armenia.Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved26 April 2015.
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