1. Player career
Serhiy Rebrov's professional football playing career spanned several clubs across Ukraine, England, Turkey, and Russia, marked by significant goal-scoring prowess and team successes.
1.1. Early career
Rebrov was born in Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast, in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. He began his career in 1990, joining Shakhtar Donetsk as a youth player. In his debut season in 1991, at just 17 years old, he scored two goals in seven games in the USSR Premier League. In his second season, playing in the newly established Ukrainian Premier League, he scored 10 goals in 19 appearances, becoming a joint third top goalscorer and attracting the attention of Dynamo Kyiv scouts.
1.2. Dynamo Kyiv
Rebrov moved to Dynamo Kyiv in August 1992, where he would achieve his most significant playing successes. He became the highest all-time scorer in the Ukrainian Premier League, with a total of 123 goals in 261 games across his spells with Shakhtar and Dynamo.
He formed a highly effective attacking partnership with Andriy Shevchenko, leading Dynamo Kyiv to dominate Ukrainian football throughout the 1990s. During his first spell, Dynamo won eight consecutive Ukrainian Premier League titles from 1992-93 to 1999-2000, and five Ukrainian Cup titles. Rebrov also scored several crucial goals in European competitions, particularly in the UEFA Champions League. In the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons, he scored notable goals, including a famous strike against Barcelona from a tight angle. Dynamo reached the Champions League semi-final in 1999, ultimately losing to Bayern Munich. In the 1999-2000 season, Rebrov was a joint top scorer in the UEFA Champions League with ten goals, helping Dynamo reach the last sixteen before being eliminated by Real Madrid.
1.3. European clubs
Rebrov's impressive performances in Ukraine led him to major European leagues.
On May 17, 2000, he was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for 11.00 M GBP. In his first Premier League season, he scored nine goals in 29 games, but appeared to struggle adapting to the English style of play. His situation worsened after the sacking of George Graham in March 2001, as he was largely sidelined by new manager Glenn Hoddle, making very few first-team starts or substitute appearances.
Seeking more playing time, Rebrov spent two consecutive loan spells at Fenerbahçe in Turkey. In his second season there, playing alongside new signing Pierre van Hooijdonk, he played a key role in helping Fenerbahçe secure their 15th Süper Lig title in the 2003-04 season.
After his contract with Tottenham expired, Rebrov signed a one-year deal with West Ham United in the Championship on July 27, 2004. He scored only one league goal for West Ham, which was the winner in a 3-2 victory over Watford on November 27, 2004. He also scored once in the League Cup against Notts County. He contributed to West Ham's successful promotion to the Premier League through the 2005 Championship play-offs.
1.4. Return to Dynamo Kyiv
On June 1, 2005, Rebrov became a free agent after declining to re-sign with West Ham. Two days later, he returned to Dynamo Kyiv, signing a new two-year contract with an option for a one-year extension. In the 2005-06 season, despite playing in midfield, Rebrov became Dynamo's top scorer with 13 goals, just two behind the league's joint top scorers. He also led the league in points from goals and assists and was named player of the season based on a poll of team managers and captains.
In July 2007, Rebrov was appointed Dynamo's captain. In the 2007-08 season, he was frequently benched, starting only seven out of eighteen matches before the winter break, and his contributions in some games drew criticism from the press. There were reports that Rebrov might move to Arsenal Kyiv during the transfer window. However, under new manager Yuri Semin, Rebrov started all games and was named the best player at the close season Channel One Cup. In February 2008, Dynamo president Ihor Surkis indicated that the club planned talks to extend Rebrov's contract. Shortly thereafter, Rebrov received a two-year contract offer from Russian Premier League club Rubin Kazan.
1.5. Rubin Kazan
On March 3, 2008, Dynamo announced that Rebrov had signed a two-year contract with Rubin Kazan, with the intention of joining the new club at the end of the season in the summer of 2008. As the Russian season started in spring, Rubin agreed to pay Dynamo 1.00 M USD in compensation for Rebrov's early release from his contract. He became an integral part of the team that won the 2008 Russian Premier League for the first time in Rubin's history. Playing in midfield, he featured in 24 out of 30 league matches and scored five goals.
1.6. Retirement
Serhiy Rebrov's retirement from professional football was announced on July 20, 2009. Concurrently, he took on the role of assistant manager at the Dynamo Kyiv reserves. Throughout his playing career, he participated in 423 games across various European leagues, scoring 145 goals. His significant career achievements led to his induction into the Viktor Leonenko Hall of Fame in March 2012.
In August 2009, Rebrov briefly returned to football, joining amateur club Irpin Horenychi from the Kyiv suburbs. He played in the 2009-10 Ukrainian Cup, where Irpin lost to Volyn Lutsk. In the autumn of the same year, Rebrov also made a couple of appearances for Irpin in Mykolaiv Oblast in the 2009 Amateur League.
1.7. International career
Rebrov was a key player for the Ukraine national football team.
1.7.1. Debut and major tournaments
Rebrov made his debut for Ukraine on June 27, 1992, in a match against the United States. He scored Ukraine's first-ever World Cup goal in their opening 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 9 match in 1996, against Northern Ireland. The match in Belfast ended 1-0 due to Rebrov's contribution. Ukraine finished second in the group behind Germany, with Rebrov again scoring the winner in another 1-0 victory away to Albania in March 1997, and at home to the same team in August. His three goals helped his team advance to the playoffs, where they lost 3-1 on aggregate to Croatia.
Rebrov's club exploits earned him a recall to the national team and a place in the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. There, he scored a long-range shot against Saudi Arabia in a 4-0 victory, contributing to Ukraine's progression to the quarterfinals before they were defeated by Italy.
At the time of his retirement on July 20, 2009, Rebrov was the fourth most capped player in the Ukrainian national team's history, having represented his country 75 times, and was their second all-time scorer with 15 goals.
1.7.2. International statistics
Rebrov's international career statistics are detailed below.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 10 | 3 | |
| 1998 | 5 | 4 | |
| 1999 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2000 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 1 | |
| Career total | 75 | 15 | |
Scores and results list Ukraine's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rebrov goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 31, 1996 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | March 23, 1997 | Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine | Moldova | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 3 | March 29, 1997 | Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain | Albania | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | August 20, 1997 | Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine | Albania | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | August 19, 1998 | Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine | Georgia | 1-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 2-0 | |||||
| 7 | September 5, 1998 | Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine | Russia | 3-1 | 3-2 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 8 | October 10, 1998 | Camp d'Esports d'Aixovall, Aixovall, Andorra | Andorra | 2-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 9 | June 5, 1999 | Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine | Andorra | 2-0 | 4-0 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 10 | August 18, 1999 | Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine | Bulgaria | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 11 | September 8, 1999 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | Iceland | 1-0 | 1-0 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 12 | November 17, 1999 | Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine | Slovenia | 1-0 | 1-1 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| 13 | April 17, 2002 | Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine | Georgia | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 14 | August 17, 2005 | Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine | Serbia and Montenegro | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 15 | June 19, 2006 | AOL Arena, Hamburg, Germany | Saudi Arabia | 2-0 | 4-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
2. Managerial career
Serhiy Rebrov transitioned into football management after his playing career, gradually ascending through coaching roles to become a successful head coach for several prominent clubs and the national team.
2.1. Early coaching
After announcing his retirement as a player on July 20, 2009, Rebrov immediately began his coaching career as an assistant manager for the Dynamo Kyiv reserves. He later served as a coach for the main Dynamo Kyiv team from 2010 to 2014, and also held a role as an an assistant coach for the Ukraine national football team.
2.2. Club management
Rebrov has managed several professional football clubs, achieving notable successes in various leagues.
2.2.1. Dynamo Kyiv
On April 17, 2014, Rebrov was appointed caretaker manager of Dynamo Kyiv. Following a victory in the Ukrainian Cup, he was named permanent manager on May 19. During his tenure as manager, Dynamo Kyiv enjoyed a period of domestic dominance, winning two consecutive Ukrainian Premier League titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16, two Ukrainian Cup titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and one Ukrainian Super Cup in 2016.
Under Rebrov, Dynamo Kyiv also made strides in European competitions. In the 2015-16 season, the team progressed past the group stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over 15 years, reaching the knockout rounds. The season prior, Rebrov led Dynamo Kyiv in a successful 2014-15 UEFA Europa League campaign, which included a memorable 5-2 victory over Everton in the second leg of the round of 16. Rebrov confirmed his resignation as manager on May 31, 2017, following the expiration of his contract, after the club's final game of the season against Chornomorets Odesa. He was notably the first person to win the Ukrainian Cup as both a player and a coach.
2.2.2. Al Ahli
Rebrov quickly returned to management, and in June 2017, he was named manager of Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli. He managed the club for one season before being sacked on April 19, 2018, for failing to win the league title.
2.2.3. Ferencváros
On August 22, 2018, Rebrov was appointed manager of Hungarian club Ferencváros, after the club failed to qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
On September 29, 2020, Rebrov guided Ferencváros to the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in a quarter of a century after defeating Molde. The "Green Eagles" had previously overcome Djurgården, Celtic, and Dinamo Zagreb in the preceding three qualification rounds to set up their meeting with the Norwegian champions. After a 3-3 draw in Norway in the first leg, Ferencváros secured a 0-0 draw in Budapest in the second leg, which meant victory on away goals and historic qualification to the group stage.
On June 4, 2021, Ferencváros announced Rebrov's resignation as coach. The club thanked him for his significant contributions, which included winning three consecutive league titles from 2018-19 to 2020-21, and for guiding the club to both the UEFA Europa League group stage in 2019 and the Champions League group stage in 2020.
2.2.4. Al Ain
On June 7, 2021, Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates announced Rebrov's appointment as their new manager. During his time with Al Ain, he achieved domestic success, winning the 2021-22 UAE Pro League and the 2021-22 UAE League Cup.
2.3. National team management
On June 7, 2023, Serhiy Rebrov was appointed the manager of the Ukraine national football team. Under his leadership, Ukraine successfully navigated their qualification campaign for UEFA Euro 2024, securing their place in the tournament.
3. Personal life
Beyond his football career, Serhiy Rebrov has a notable personal interest in amateur radio.
3.1. Amateur radio activities
Rebrov is a licensed amateur radio operator and an active contester. He has been active with several call signs, including UT5UDX (Ukraine), M0SDX (England), TA2ZF (Turkey), and UT0U (Ukrainian contest-callsign). His most recent call signs are 5B4AMM (Cyprus) and P3X (Cypriot contest-callsign). His hobby has even earned him the nickname "Radio Head" in some circles.
4. Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Serhiy Rebrov's career statistics as both a player and a manager.
4.1. Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Shakhtar Donetsk | 1991 | Soviet Top League | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 10 | 3 | ||
| 1992 | Vyshcha Liha | 19 | 10 | 6 | 1 | - | - | 25 | 11 | |||
| Total | 26 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 14 | ||
| Dynamo Kyiv | 1992-93 | Vyshcha Liha | 23 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 31 | 7 | |
| 1993-94 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | 13 | 3 | |||
| 1994-95 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | - | 37 | 10 | |||
| 1995-96 | 31 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 38 | 10 | |||
| 1996-97 | 30 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 35 | 20 | |||
| 1997-98 | 29 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 8 | - | 48 | 37 | |||
| 1998-99 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 8 | - | 41 | 22 | |||
| 1999-2000 | 20 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 10 | - | 40 | 30 | |||
| Total | 189 | 93 | 35 | 18 | 59 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 283 | 139 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2000-01 | Premier League | 29 | 9 | 5 | 3 | - | 2 | 0 | 36 | 12 | |
| 2001-02 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | 6 | 2 | 39 | 3 | |||
| Total | 59 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 75 | 15 | ||
| Fenerbahçe | 2002-03 | Süper Lig | 13 | 2 | - | - | - | 13 | 2 | |||
| 2003-04 | 25 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 30 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 38 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 5 | ||
| West Ham United | 2004-05 | Championship | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 4 | 1 | 33 | 2 | |
| Dynamo Kyiv | 2005-06 | Vyshcha Liha | 27 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 14 |
| 2006-07 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 8 | ||
| 2007-08 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - | 16 | 2 | |||
| Total | 53 | 20 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 77 | 24 | ||
| Rubin Kazan | 2008 | Russian Premier League | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 5 | ||
| 2009 | 7 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 5 | ||
| Irpin Horenychi | 2009 | Ukrainian Amateur Football Championship | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 425 | 145 | 68 | 25 | 72 | 31 | 15 | 3 | 580 | 204 | ||
4.2. Managerial statistics
| Team | Nationality | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Dynamo Kyiv |  | April 17, 2014 | May 31, 2017 | 137 | 94 | 20 | 23 | 68.61 |
| Al-Ahli |  | June 1, 2017 | April 19, 2018 | 38 | 23 | 10 | 5 | 60.53 |
| Ferencváros |  | August 22, 2018 | May 9, 2021 | 132 | 82 | 30 | 20 | 62.12 |
| Al Ain |  | June 6, 2021 | May 27, 2023 | 73 | 45 | 18 | 10 | 61.64 |
| Ukraine | | June 7, 2023 | Present | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 45.45 |
| Total | 402 | 251 | 85 | 66 | 62.44 | |||
5. Honours
Serhiy Rebrov has accumulated numerous team and individual honours throughout his career as both a player and a manager.
5.1. Player honours
Dynamo Kyiv
- Vyshcha Liha (9): 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2006-07
- Ukrainian Cup (7): 1992-93, 1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2005-06, 2006-07
- Ukrainian Super Cup: 2006
- UEFA Champions League: Semi-finalist (1999-2000)
- Channel One Cup: Runner-up (2006)
Tottenham Hotspur
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2001-02
- FA Cup: Semi-finalist (2000-01)
Fenerbahçe
- Süper Lig: 2003-04
West Ham United
- Football League Championship play-offs: Winner (2005)
Rubin Kazan
- Russian Premier League: 2008, 2009
- Russian Cup: Runner-up (2008-09)
- Russian Super Cup: Runner-up (2009)
- Channel One Cup: Winner (2008)
5.2. Managerial honours
Dynamo Kyiv
- Ukrainian Premier League: 2014-15, 2015-16
- Ukrainian Cup: 2013-14, 2014-15
- Ukrainian Super Cup: 2016
Ferencváros
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I: 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21
Al Ain
- UAE Pro League: 2021-22
- UAE League Cup: 2021-22
5.3. Individual awards
- Ukrainian Footballer of the Year: 1996, 1998
- Ukrainian Premier League Player of the Season: 1996, 1998, 1999
- Ukrainian Premier League top scorer: 1997-98 (22 goals)
- Ukrainian Premier League Joint All-Time top scorer (alongside Maksim Shatskikh): 123 goals in 261 matches
- Channel One Cup - Player of Tournament: 2008
- ADN Eastern European Footballer of the Season: 1999
- Ukrainian Premier League Manager of the Year: 2014-15, 2015-16
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I Manager of the Year: 2019-20, 2020-21
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I Manager of the Month: October 2020, December 2020
- Ferencváros Manager of the Decade: 2020
- UAE Pro League Manager of the Month: August 2021, September 2021, October 2021, November 2021, December 2021-January 2022, February 2022, March 2022
- UAE Pro League Manager of the Year: 2021-22