# FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (Ukrainian: Футбольний Клуб Кривбас Кривий Ріг) was a Ukrainian professional football club based in Kryvyi Rih.
Until 2013 the club participated in professional competitions. In June 2013 the club went bankrupt and was expelled from the Ukrainian Premier League. There was a failed attempt to revive the club in 2014, until finally the club was reestablished again in 2015. In 2020, the club merged with Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih which took on the Kryvbas's brand. The Ukrainian Premier League considers the original Krybas and the Kryvbas of 2020 as one and the same club.

## History

The club was founded as a "team of masters" of Kryvyi Rih city in 1959. The club was claiming its heritage to football team of Dzerzhynskoho Mine Administration that competed at republican level in 1956 and 1957. In 1960 the team of masters of Kryvyi Rih city was admitted to the republican sport society Avanhard and adopted the name of the society, Avanhard Kryvyi Rih. After a couple of years it changed to Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih, before obtaining current its name in 1966. Over the years in the Soviet competitions Kryvbas became a record holder for Ukrainian championship wins tying it at four along with SKA Kiev.
Kryvbas debuted in the Ukrainian Premier League in the 1992–1993 season. They have been in the top league since their debut in the second season. Their best finish was in third place in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 seasons which made them the only club out of a provincial city that managed to place among the top three best.
At the end of the UPL 2012–2013 season the team finished in 7th place, however, due to financial difficulties the club declared itself bankrupt in June 2013.
In 2013-14 local authorities created the Sport Club Kryvbas that included teams of several sports including football. FC Kryvbas played several friendlies in the spring of 2014. Due to the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine, the project was suspended for undefined period. In the summer of 2015 there was created a public organization "Kryvbas maye buty" (Kryvbas has to be) that is involved in a revival of sportive symbol of the city.
In August 2015 FC Kryvbas was allowed to start at the mid-season of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Championship where it played 11 games winning four and losing five. At finish, the club ended up at the 10th place among 13 participants. In November 2015 it also was applying for the 2016–17 Ukrainian Second League. In 2016 FC Kryvbas started out in the 2016 Ukrainian Football Amateur League. The new club will start out at the Spartak Stadium that was renovated back in 2013 and holds approximately 4,000 seats.

### Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih

After a year of absence, in 2017 Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih was reestablished and entered the Ukrainian Amateur competition following which it regained professional status for the 2018–19 season.

### Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih

On 29 July 2020 the president of Hirnyk Kostiantyn Karamanits confirmed that his team would be renamed into Kryvbas before the start of the 2020–21 Ukrainian Second League season. Later it changed to Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. The club's rebranding was triggered on petition of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It is the second time the club was renamed as Kryvbas, previously also were known as Kryvbas-Ruda.
In interview to Artur Valerko in July 2013 right after the original Kryvbas was declared bankrupt, the football historian Vasyl Hnatiuk has foreseen the transition of Hirnyk to Kryvbas. On 20 August 2020 there took place official presentation of the new Kryvbas. At the presentation the Verkhovna Rada People's Deputy of Ukraine Yurii Koriavchenkov explained that the process started back in 2015 when on efforts of fans there was created a public organization "Kryvbas maie buty" (Kryvbas has to be) and Serhiy Mazur asked us at that time members of studio "Kvartal-95" with request to help with revival of Kryvbas. The club's president remained the president of former Hirnyk Kostiantyn Karamanits, vice-president on development of youth football became Serhiy Mazur, vice-president on fans cooperation Vadym Ivashchenko, vice-president of communication and public relations Artem Mykhailichenko, head of board of trustees became Yurii Koriavchenkov. It was also announced the history of Hirnyk did not end and its club's academy will continue to work under the brand of Hirnyk and develop young talents for the main squad of the revived Kryvbas.
The new Kryvbas played its first game against FC Cherkashchyna as part of the 2020–21 Ukrainian Cup and won it 4:2. The game had several spectators and was visited by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. During the game some fans spread a banner with a saying "Zelensky three, two, one, shames our Kryvbas".

### Presidents and chairmen

* 2013 – Oleksandr Livshyts
* 2015 – Taras Stretovych

## Stadiums and training facilities

The club's main stadium is Hirnyk, formerly Zhovtneva Mine Stadium. It is located at Kolonkovska street. The stadium has capacity of 2,500 seats and its field consists of natural grass and has size 105х67 meters. Besides its main field, the club has also a training complex. The club's training complex is based around former Rodina Mine Stadium located at Svitlohorska street.

### Youth football school Hirnyk

The club's school was founded on 1 June 2003. The school provides its pupils aged 3 to 17 with extracurriculum activities in football.

## Honours

* Championship of the Ukrainian SSR
** Winners (4): 1971, 1975, 1976, 1981
* Ukrainian First League
** Winners (1): 1992
* Ukrainian Cup
** Runners-up: 2000

### Football kits and sponsors

| Years | Football kit | Shirt sponsor |
| 1998–1999 | adidas | – |
| 1999–2002 | puma | – |
| 2002–2003 | puma/lotto | – |
| 2003–2005 | lotto | Криворіжсталь |
| 2005–2006 | adidas | – |
| 2006–2007 | adidas/lotto | – |
| 2007–2008 | puma/lotto | – |
| 2008–2011 | puma | – |
| 2011–2013 | nike | – |

## League and Cup history
### Soviet Union

| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Notes |
| 1986 | 3rd (VI Zone) | 6 | 40 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 58 | 48 | 45 | |
| 1987 | 3rd (VI Zone) | 11 | 52 | 23 | 10 | 19 | 68 | 68 | 56 | |
| 1988 | 3rd (VI Zone) | 6 | 50 | 21 | 14 | 15 | 53 | 45 | 56 | |
| 1989 | 3rd (VI Zone) | 10 | 52 | 23 | 10 | 19 | 78 | 70 | 56 | 10th place or lower got demoted |
| 1990 | 4th (I Zone) | 15 | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 40 | 53 | 26 | |
| 1991 | 4th (I Zone) | 11 | 52 | 19 | 13 | 20 | 75 | 64 | 51 | |

### Ukraine

| Season | Div. | Pos. | Pl. | W | D | L | GS | GA | P | Domestic Cup | Europe | Europe | Notes |
| 1992 | 2nd "B" | 1 | 26 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 46 | 23 | 40 | 1/8 finals | | | Promoted |
| 1992–93 | 1st | 8 | 30 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 27 | 40 | 27 | 1/16 finals | | | |
| 1993–94 | 1st | 6 | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 26 | 26 | 36 | | | | |
| 1994–95 | 1st | 6 | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 35 | 30 | 48 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 1995–96 | 1st | 14 | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 43 | 52 | 42 | 1/16 finals | | | |
| 1996–97 | 1st | 12 | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 24 | 48 | 33 | 1/16 finals | | | |
| 1997–98 | 1st | 8 | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 34 | 33 | 39 | 1/2 finals | | | |
| 1998–99 | 1st | 3 | 30 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 43 | 18 | 59 | 1/4 finals | | | |
| 1999–00 | 1st | 3 | 30 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 52 | 60 | Runner-up | UC | 1st round | |
| 2000–01 | 1st | 11 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 24 | 1/4 finals | UC | 1st round | |
| 2001–02 | 1st | 9 | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 28 | 40 | 28 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 2002–03 | 1st | 12 | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 25 | 37 | 31 | 1/4 finals | | | |
| 2003–04 | 1st | 10 | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 26 | 41 | 36 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 2004–05 | 1st | 13 | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 24 | 38 | 31 | 1/2 finals | | | |
| 2005–06 | 1st | 14 | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 35 | 33 | 1/4 finals | | | |
| 2006–07 | 1st | 10 | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 29 | 36 | 35 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 2007–08 | 1st | 13 | 30 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 29 | 39 | 30 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 2008–09 | 1st | 12 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 21 | 36 | 32 | 1/16 finals | | | |
| 2009–10 | 1st | 14 | 30 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 31 | 47 | 25 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 2010–11 | 1st | 13 | 30 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 27 | 45 | 29 | 1/16 finals | | | |
| 2011–12 | 1st | 10 | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 22 | 38 | 33 | 1/8 finals | | | |
| 2012–13 | 1st | 7 | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 36 | 41 | 43 | 1/16 finals | | | Expelled |
| Dnipropetrovsk Oblast championship 2015– ||||||||||||||
| 2016 | 4th | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 1 | | | | |
    Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Domestic Cup Europe Notes FC Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih has reestablished 2017–18 4th Amateur League Gr. 3 5 16 6 2 8 44 35 20 - - - Applied 2018–19 3rd Second League Gr. B 3 27 15 6 6 53 33 51 1⁄8 finals - - - 2019–20 3rd Second League Gr. B 4 20 10 3 7 33 22 33 1⁄64 finals - - - Restructured as FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (2020) based on FC Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih 2020–21 3rd Second League Gr. B 2 21 14 5 2 50 14 47 1⁄16 finals - - Promoted 2021–22 was terminated 2nd First League 2 20 12 6 2 38 17 42 1⁄64 finals - began on 24.02.2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Promoted 2022–23 1st Premier League 7 30 12 5 13 26 30 41 Not played - - - 2023–24 1st Premier League 3 30 17 6 7 51 30 57 1⁄16 finals - - - 2024–25 1st Premier League 6 9 4 2 3 8 8 14 1⁄8 finals UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round UEFA Europa Conference League - PO round

## European record

Kryvbas made its debut in European tournaments at the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, being eliminated by Parma F.C. in the first round (second round for Kryvbas). Kryvbas also became the first club in the history of Ukrainian football representing a city other than a regional administrative center.
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1999–2000 | UEFA Cup | QR | Shamkir | 3–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| 1999–2000 | UEFA Cup | 1R | Parma | 0–3 | 2–3 | 2–6 |
| 2000–01 | UEFA Cup | 1R | Nantes | 0–1 | 0–5 | 0–6 |
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2024–25 | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round | Viktoria Plzeň | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 |
| 2024–25 | UEFA Conference League | Play-off round | Real Betis | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 |

## Players
### Current squad

    As of 23 February 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | UKR | Bohdan Khoma |
| 3 | DF | UKR | Oleksandr Romanchuk |
| 7 | MF | UKR | Andriy Ponyedyelnik |
| 8 | MF | NGA | Clement Ikenna (on loan from Levski Sofia) |
| 9 | FW | NIG | Daniel Sosah |
| 10 | MF | UKR | Dmytro Khomchenovskyi (captain) |
| 11 | FW | UKR | Yehor Tverdokhlib |
| 14 | MF | UKR | Maksym Lunyov |
| 17 | MF | VEN | Mayken González |
| 19 | FW | FRA | Noha Ndombasi |
| 20 | MF | UKR | Artur Mykytyshyn |
| 21 | DF | UKR | Denys Kuzyk |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 22 | MF | UKR | Yuriy Vakulko |
| 23 | MF | CRO | Hrvoje Ilić |
| 24 | MF | UKR | Volodymyr Yakimets |
| 25 | DF | POR | Bandeira |
| 27 | MF | BRA | Matteo Amoroso |
| 28 | FW | VEN | Gleiker Mendoza (on loan from Angostura) |
| 30 | GK | UKR | Volodymyr Makhankov |
| 33 | GK | UKR | Andriy Klishchuk |
| 40 | MF | CRO | Jan Jurčec |
| 55 | DF | CMR | Yvan Dibango |
| 66 | DF | MLI | Bakary Konaté |
| 94 | MF | UKR | Maksym Zaderaka |

### Other players under contract

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 77 | MF | UKR | Zakhar Karpus |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 92 | FW | UKR | Arseniy Kilyevyi |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | NGA | Oche Ochowechi (at Gabala until 30 June 2025) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |

## Managers
### First team

* Myron Markevich (Jan 1996 – June 1996)
* Oleh Taran (July 1997 – Sept 2000)
* Hennadiy Lytovchenko (Sept 2000 – Dec 2001)
* Ihor Nadein (Jan 2002 – Aug 2002)
* Oleksandr Ishchenko (Aug 2002 – June 203)
* Volodymyr Muntyan (July 2003 – Dec 2003)
* Oleksandr Kosevych (Jan 2004 – Feb 2007)
* Oleh Taran (Feb 2007 – Dec 2009)
* Yuriy Maksymov (Jan 2010 – June 2012)
* Vitaliy Kvartsyanyi (June 2012 – July 2012)
* Oleh Taran (July 2012 – May 2013)

### Reserve team

* Volodymyr Sharan (2004–2005)
* Andriy Kuptsov (2005–2007)
* Serhiy Mazur (2009–2012)

## Head coaches

* 2020–2021: Hennadiy Prykhodko (head coach of the former FC Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih)
* 2021–2022: Oleksandr Babych
* 2022–present: Yuriy Vernydub

## Technical staff

| Position | Staff |
| Head coach | Yuriy Vernydub |
| Assistant coaches | Vitaliy Vernydub |
| Assistant coaches | Dmytro Kara-Mustafa |
| Goalkeeping coach | Taras Hrebenyuk |
| Analyst | Valeriy Mykhaylenko |
| Fitness coaches | Ihor Fokin |
Last updated: 26 June 2022 Source: