History of Henrikh Mkhitaryan in Timeline

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is an Armenian professional footballer renowned as the greatest in Armenian history. He currently plays as a midfielder for Inter Milan in Serie A. His career has been marked by skill, versatility, and significant contributions to various clubs. He has achieved considerable success throughout his career, solidifying his place as a prominent figure in football.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

January 1989: Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Birth

In January 1989, Henrikh Mkhitaryan was born in Yerevan, Soviet Armenia, to Marina Taschyan and Hamlet Mkhitaryan. His father, a striker for FC Ararat Yerevan, died when Henrikh was seven.

Others born on this day/year

1995: Mkhitaryan Joins FC Pyunik Youth System

In 1995, Mkhitaryan joined the FC Pyunik youth system.

1995: Mkhitaryan Family Moves to France and Joins FC Pyunik Youth System

In 1995, the Mkhitaryan family moved to France, and Henrikh later joined the youth system of FC Pyunik back in Yerevan.

2003: Mkhitaryan Trials with São Paulo

In 2003, at the age of 14, Mkhitaryan had trials with São Paulo in Brazil, playing alongside Hernanes and Oscar.

2004: Mkhitaryan Returns to Pyunik

In 2004, Mkhitaryan returned to Pyunik after his trials with São Paulo. Manager Mihai Stoichiță insisted on his return to Armenia.

2006: Mkhitaryan Makes Professional Debut

In 2006, at the age of 17, Mkhitaryan made his professional debut for FC Pyunik.

January 2007: Debut for Armenia National Team

On 14 January 2007, Mkhitaryan debuted for the Armenia national team in a friendly match against Panama.

2007: Mkhitaryan Joins Senior National Team

In 2007, Mkhitaryan became a member of the senior side in his native country.

2007: Wins Armenian Premier League and Supercup

In 2007, Mkhitaryan won the Armenian Premier League and Armenian Supercup with FC Pyunik.

2007: Tom Jones' Praise

In 2007, Tom Jones, then caretaker of the Armenian national team, praised Mkhitaryan, recognizing his potential to play in the Premier League due to his creativity, goal-scoring ability, hard work, and attitude.

2008: Wins Armenian Premier League

In 2008, Mkhitaryan won the Armenian Premier League with FC Pyunik.

July 2009: Mkhitaryan Debuts and Scores for Metalurh Donetsk

In July 2009, Mkhitaryan debuted for Metalurh Donetsk, scoring in a 3–0 Europa League victory against FC Partizan Minsk on July 16th and making his league debut in a 0-0 draw with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on July 19th. He scored his first league goal on July 26th in a 2–2 draw with Karpaty Lviv.

August 2009: Mkhitaryan Scores in Europa League Win

On August 6, 2009, Mkhitaryan scored the first goal in a 3–0 second leg Europa League win against Slovenian club Interblock Ljubljana, winning 5–0 on aggregate.

2009: Mkhitaryan Joins Metalurh Donetsk

In 2009, Mkhitaryan joined Metalurh Donetsk after winning four Armenian Premier League titles with Pyunik.

2009: Mkhitaryan's Last Season at FC Pyunik

The 2009 season was Mkhitaryan's last with FC Pyunik, during which he scored 11 league goals in 10 games and won the Armenian Premier League, Armenian Supercup, and Armenian Cup.

July 2010: Mkhitaryan Named Captain of Metalurh Donetsk

On July 14, 2010, Mkhitaryan was named captain of Metalurh Donetsk at the age of 21, becoming the youngest captain in the club's history. On July 16, 2010, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3-0 victory over Obolon Kyiv.

August 2010: Mkhitaryan Signs with Shakhtar Donetsk

On August 30, 2010, Mkhitaryan completed a $7.5 million transfer to Shakhtar Donetsk.

August 2010: Final Match for Metalurh Donetsk

On August 30, 2010, Mkhitaryan played his final match for Metalurh Donetsk in a 2–1 win against Dnipro.

September 2010: Mkhitaryan Debuts and Scores for Shakhtar Donetsk

In September 2010, Mkhitaryan debuted for Shakhtar Donetsk in a 1-0 defeat to Obolon Kyiv on September 10th. He then scored his first goal for the club in a 4-1 win against Tavriya Simferopol on September 19th and also made his Ukrainian Cup debut on September 22nd, scoring in a 6-0 win over Kryvbas. On September 25, 2010, he scored a late injury time winner in a 2–1 away victory over Metalist Kharkiv. He made his European debut for the club in the Champions League on 28 September 2010 against Sporting Braga winning 3–0.

2010: Mkhitaryan Moves to Shakhtar Donetsk

In 2010, Mkhitaryan moved to Shakhtar Donetsk from Metalurh Donetsk for €6.1 million.

December 2011: Charity Visit to Stepanakert

In December 2011, Mkhitaryan visited Stepanakert, the capital of the disputed territory of Artsakh, and donated gifts to the families of fallen soldiers. He was also awarded the NKR Prime Minister's medal.

2011: Named Armenian Footballer of the Year

In 2011, Mkhitaryan was named Armenian Footballer of the Year, starting a seven-year consecutive run until 2017.

2011: Tom Jones' Praise

In 2011, Tom Jones, then caretaker of the Armenian national team, praised Mkhitaryan, recognizing his potential to play in the Premier League due to his creativity, goal-scoring ability, hard work, and attitude.

2011: Premier League Season Best Player

In the 2011–12 Premier League season, Mkhitaryan was voted as the best player of Shakhtar in an online poll on Shakhtar Donetsk's official website.

March 2012: Mkhitaryan Scores Equalizing Goal Against Dnipro

On March 4, 2012, Mkhitaryan scored the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

April 2012: Mkhitaryan Scores in Ukrainian Cup Victory

On April 11, 2012, Mkhitaryan scored the only goal in a cup victory over Metalurh Zaporizhya.

May 2012: Ukrainian Cup Final Victory

On May 6, 2012, Mkhitaryan played in Shakhtar's 2–1 extra time victory over his former team Metalurh Donetsk in the Ukrainian Cup Final.

September 2012: Champions League Goal

On September 19, 2012, in Shakhtar's first Champions League match of the season, Mkhitaryan scored twice in a 2–0 victory over Danish champions Nordsjælland. He was named Man of the Match and in the Team of the Week for match day 1 of the Champions League.

2012: Pat Nevin's Assessment

During the 2012-13 season, Pat Nevin described Mkhitaryan as a phenomenal midfielder with pace, skill, a strong shot, and the ability to arrive in the box effectively, highlighting him as a player to watch.

2012: Mkhitaryan Sets League Goalscoring Record

During the 2012–13 season at Shakhtar Donetsk, Mkhitaryan set the league goalscoring record and was named the league's Footballer of the Year.

2012: UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying

In 2012, Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored six goals for Armenia in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group B, becoming the top goalscorer in that group. Although Armenia didn't advance, Mkhitaryan was placed in the UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying Dream Team.

2012: Honorary Citizen of Yerevan

In 2012, Mkhitaryan was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of Yerevan" by the Yerevan City Council for his success in football and achievements in sports.

2012: Named CIS Footballer of the Year

In 2012, Mkhitaryan was voted the CIS Footballer of the Year, becoming the first Armenian footballer to be named the best player from the post-Soviet countries.

March 2013: Mkhitaryan Plays 100th Ukrainian Premier League Game

On March 16, 2013, Mkhitaryan played his 100th game in the Ukrainian Premier League in a match against Chornomorets Odesa.

May 2013: Mkhitaryan Sets Ukrainian Premier League Goal Record

On May 11, 2013, Mkhitaryan scored his 23rd and 24th goals of the Premier League season in a 5–0 victory over Tavria, setting a Ukrainian Premier League record for most goals in a season. He finished the season with 25 league goals.

June 2013: Borussia Dortmund Bids for Mkhitaryan

On June 25, 2013, Borussia Dortmund made a €23 million bid for Mkhitaryan, which Shakhtar Donetsk deemed insufficient.

July 2013: Mkhitaryan Transfers to Borussia Dortmund

In July 2013, Mkhitaryan's transfer to Borussia Dortmund was finalized for €27.5 million, making him the club's most expensive purchase. He underwent a medical test and signed a four-year deal.

July 2013: Mkhitaryan Debut

On July 10, 2013, Mkhitaryan debuted in a pre-season friendly against FC Basel, assisting a goal and scoring himself in a 3-1 victory. He sustained an injury and couldn't take part at the 2013 DFL-Supercup which his club won.

August 2013: Mkhitaryan's Bundesliga Debut and First Goals

In August 2013, Mkhitaryan debuted for Dortmund in the Bundesliga on August 18th after returning from injury. His first two Bundesliga goals came in a 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

September 2013: First Time Captaining National Team

On 10 September 2013, Mkhitaryan captained Armenia for the first time in a World Cup qualification match against Denmark, which they lost 0-1.

2013: Named CIS Footballer of the Year for the Second Time

In 2013, Mkhitaryan was again named CIS Footballer of the Year.

2013: Bundesliga Team of the Season Inclusion

Mkhitaryan concluded the 2013-14 season with nine goals and ten assists in the Bundesliga and earned a place in the WhoScored Bundesliga Team of the Season. Dortmund finished as runner-up in both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal for the 2013-14 season.

May 2014: Friendly Win Against United Arab Emirates

On 27 May 2014, Mkhitaryan scored twice in a 4–3 friendly win against the United Arab Emirates.

September 2014: Injury

In September 2014, Mkhitaryan suffered an injury that sidelined him for a month.

December 2014: Sidelined by Injury

On December 13, 2014, Mkhitaryan was injured again.

2014: Wins DFL-Supercup

In 2014, Mkhitaryan won a DFL-Supercup and later registered the most assists in the Bundesliga, with 15.

February 2015: Scores against Schalke 04

On February 28, 2015, Mkhitaryan scored the second goal of a 3–0 win against rivals Schalke 04.

August 2015: Hat-trick against Wolfsberger AC

On August 6, 2015, Mkhitaryan scored a late hat-trick for a 5–0 victory against Wolfsberger AC in the third qualifying round second leg of the Europa League. On August 9, he scored in a 2-0 win against Chemnitzer FC in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. On August 15, 2015, Mkhitaryan scored a brace in a 4–0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Five days later, he headed the winning goal as Dortmund came from 3–0 down to win 4–3 at Odds BK.

October 2015: Scores against SC Paderborn 07 and Gabala FK

In October 2015, Mkhitaryan scored the final goal in a 7–1 rout of SC Paderborn 07 on October 28 in the second round of the domestic cup. On October 8, Mkhitaryan's goal confirmed a 4–0 home win over Gabala FK, securing a place in the last 32 of the Europa League.

2015: Previous Missed Trip to Azerbaijan

In 2015, Mkhitaryan previously opted not to travel to Azerbaijan to play for Borussia Dortmund against Gabala.

April 2016: DFB-Pokal Semi-Final Goal

On April 20, 2016, Mkhitaryan was one of three goalscorers as Borussia won 3–0 away at Hertha BSC in the semi-final of the DFB-Pokal.

July 2016: Move to Manchester United

In July 2016, Henrikh Mkhitaryan's transfer to Manchester United was finalized with a four-year contract, for a fee between £27 million and £30 million. Dortmund's CEO cited the inevitability of the sale, as Mkhitaryan would have left for free the following year. This move also marked him as the first Armenian to join a Premier League club.

July 2016: Pre-Season Debut

On 15 July 2016, Mkhitaryan made his debut for Manchester United in a pre-season match against Wigan Athletic, which they won 2-0.

August 2016: Competitive Debut and Premier League Appearance

In August 2016, Henrikh Mkhitaryan made his competitive debut for Manchester United on 7 August in the 2016 FA Community Shield against Leicester City, which resulted in a 2–1 victory. Later in August, on 14 August 2016, he became the first Armenian to play in the Premier League, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 victory against AFC Bournemouth.

September 2016: First Premier League Start

On 10 September 2016, Henrikh Mkhitaryan made his first Premier League start for Manchester United in the Manchester derby, but was substituted at half-time.

December 2016: First Goal for Manchester United

On 8 December 2016, Mkhitaryan scored his first goal for Manchester United in a Europa League match against Zorya Luhansk. On 11 December 2016, he scored his first Premier League goal against Tottenham Hotspur, but sustained an ankle injury.

February 2017: Injury in Europa League Tie

On 22 February 2017, Mkhitaryan scored in a UEFA Europa League tie against AS Saint-Étienne, but went off injured, causing him to miss the 2017 EFL Cup Final.

2017: Premier League Season and Champions League Goal

During the 2017-18 Premier League season, Mkhitaryan equaled a record with five assists in the first three matches, and scored his first goal of the season against Everton. Later in 2017, he scored his first Champions League goal for Manchester United against CSKA Moscow. However, his form declined, leading to him being dropped from the starting lineup and squad intermittently.

2017: Seventh Consecutive Armenian Footballer of the Year Award

In 2017, Mkhitaryan concluded a run of seven consecutive years being named Armenian Footballer of the Year.

January 2018: Signing with Arsenal

On 22 January 2018, Arsenal announced the signing of Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Manchester United in a swap deal with Alexis Sánchez.

February 2018: Arsenal Debut and Goal Against Former Team

On 3 February 2018, Mkhitaryan made his first start for Arsenal in a 5–1 win over Everton, providing three assists. Later, in February 2018, he scored against Manchester United at Old Trafford but did not celebrate out of respect.

2018: Previous Missed Trip to Azerbaijan

In 2018, Mkhitaryan opted not to travel to Azerbaijan to play for Arsenal against Qarabağ.

2018: 2018-19 Season Performance and Injury

In 2018, Mkhitaryan scored a goal and assisted in Arsenal's game against Chelsea, which ended in a 3-2 loss. He later scored twice against Southampton in another 3-2 defeat, before suffering a metatarsal fracture in a League Cup match.

2018: Mkhitaryan Joins Arsenal

In 2018, Mkhitaryan was signed by Arsène Wenger for Arsenal in a swap-deal including Alexis Sánchez.

June 2019: Marriage to Betty Vardanyan

In June 2019, Mkhitaryan married Betty Vardanyan at the monastery of San Lazzaro degli Armeni near Venice, Italy. Italian tenor Al Bano made a surprise appearance.

September 2019: Loan to A.S. Roma

On 2 September 2019, Henrikh Mkhitaryan joined A.S. Roma on a season-long loan deal. On 15 September 2019, he made his debut against Sassuolo, scoring in Roma's 4–2 win. He then suffered an adductor muscle injury later in September.

December 2019: Goal Against SPAL

In December 2019, Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored against SPAL, helping Roma to fourth place in the Serie A table.

2019: Controversy Surrounding Europa League Final

In 2019, Mkhitaryan was at the center of a controversy ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final in Baku, Azerbaijan due to political tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite security guarantees, he ultimately did not travel due to safety concerns.

January 2020: Thigh Injury

In January 2020, Mkhitaryan suffered a thigh muscle injury, sidelining him for another month.

March 2020: Birth of Son Hamlet

On 4 March 2020, Mkhitaryan and his wife, Betty Vardanyan, welcomed their son, Hamlet Mkhitaryan.

August 2020: Permanent Deal with Roma

On 31 August 2020, Mkhitaryan's contract with Arsenal was cancelled by mutual consent, and he joined Roma on a permanent deal.

September 2020: Call for International Action

In September 2020, amid the Nagorno-Karabakh war, Mkhitaryan called for international action to stop Azerbaijan from shelling civilian areas of Artsakh and urged the international community to recognize Artsakh's independence.

November 2020: Fastest Europa League Goal and Hat-Trick

On 5 November 2020, Mkhitaryan scored Roma's fastest-ever goal in the UEFA Europa League against CFR Cluj. Three days later, on 8 November 2020, he scored a hat-trick in a Serie A match against Genoa.

2020: Mkhitaryan signs permanently with Roma

In 2020, Mkhitaryan signed permanently with Serie A club Roma after an initial loan spell.

March 2022: International Retirement

In March 2022, Mkhitaryan announced his retirement from international football.

May 2022: UEFA Conference League Victory

On 25 May 2022, Mkhitaryan started in the final of the UEFA Conference League against Feyenoord, which Roma won 1-0.

July 2022: Signing for Inter Milan

In July 2022, Mkhitaryan signed for Serie A club Inter Milan.

2022: Mkhitaryan Joins Internazionale

In 2022, Mkhitaryan joined Internazionale.

2022: Mkhitaryan Retires from International Football

In 2022, Mkhitaryan retired from international football. He is Armenia's all-time top goalscorer, scoring 32 goals in 95 matches.

May 2023: Champions League Semifinal Goal

On 10 May 2023, Mkhitaryan scored a goal in a 2-0 win over rivals Milan in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.

June 2023: Champions League Final Appearance

On 10 June 2023, Mkhitaryan became the first Armenian to participate in the UEFA Champions League final, making a substitute appearance against Manchester City.

December 2023: Contract Extension with Inter Milan

On 30 December 2023, Mkhitaryan extended his contract with Inter Milan until 30 June 2026.

June 2026: Contract Extension with Inter Milan