Oleksandr Kucher is a former professional footballer from Ukraine, known for his defensive skills on the field.
Kucher was a powerful defender who excelled in the air and could also play as a defensive midfielder.
He began his career at FC Arsenal Kharkiv, where he scored 5 goals in 59 matches.
Biography
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Oleksandr Mykolayovych Kucher is a Ukrainian former professional footballer and current football manager, known for his role as a powerful centre-back. He began his football journey in various sports schools and academies in Kyiv, including the prestigious Dynamo football academy. Kucher started his professional career at FC Arsenal Kharkiv, where he made 59 appearances and scored 5 goals in the third-tier league before moving to FC Metalurh Donetsk in 2002.
Professional Career
Kucher's career saw him play for several clubs in Ukraine, including stints at FC Kharkiv, FC Metalist Kharkiv, and FC Shakhtar Donetsk. He joined Shakhtar in 2006, where he made a significant impact, scoring key goals and contributing to the team's success, including a memorable extra-time winner in the 2011–12 Ukrainian Cup final. Kucher also made headlines for receiving the quickest red card in Champions League history during a match against Bayern Munich in 2015. He represented the Ukraine national team from 2006 to 2017, participating in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2012 and Euro 2016.
Transition to Coaching
After retiring from professional play in March 2020, Kucher transitioned into coaching, taking the helm at FC Metal, which was later renamed FC Metalist. In July 2022, he became the head coach of Dnipro-1, bringing along several staff and players from his previous club. Most recently, he was appointed as the head coach of Chornomorets Odesa in March 2025, marking a new chapter in his coaching career.
Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Gallery
Career & Clubs
Club
International
Scores and results list Ukraine's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kucher goal.
Managerial
As of match played 29 November 2025
Metalist Kharkiv
He ended his playing career in March 2020. Subsequently, in July 2020, Kucher was appointed to the position of head coach of the newly formed FC Metal, which was renamed FC Metalist in June of the following year.
Dnipro-1
In July 2022, he became the head coach of Dnipro-1. Kucher moved to the Dnipro-1 from Metalist Kharkiv together with his assistant Yuriy Ushmaev, the vice-president of the Kharkiv club Yevhen Krasnikov, the club's sports director Papa Gueye, the selectionist Jader da Silva and six players — Vladyslav Rybak, Volodymyr Tanchyk, Serhiy Horbunov, Eduard Sarapiy, Ruslan Babenko and team captain Farès Bahlouli.
Chornomorets Odesa
On 24 March 2025, Ukrainian Premier League club Chornomorets Odesa announced they had appointed Kucher as new head coach. He made his debut against Karpaty Lviv on 30 March 2025. On 13 January 2026, Kucher has been fired.
Kucher is a product of several Kyiv city sports schools and football academies, including the "Atlet" sports school and the Dynamo football academy. He began his career, however, away from Kyiv playing for Arsenal Kharkiv, where he participated in 59 third-tier league matches and scored 5 goals. He joined the Ukrainian top league member Metalurh Donetsk in 2002. While being a player of Metalurh Donetsk, Kucher spent a season on loan at Arsenal Kharkiv during the 2002–03 season, a season at Armenian side Banants Yerevan during the 2003–04 season and another spell with Arsenal in the 2004–05 season. He made 26 appearances for Arsenal over his two seasons on loan. He scored 3 goals in 19 appearances for Banants. Having made 9 appearances for Metalurh, Kucher moved to Metalist Kharkiv during the 2005–06 season playing 28 matches with his only two goals coming in 5–2 defeat to Chornomorets Odesa. Oleksandr joined Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2006–07 season. He made his debut for Shakhtar as a substitute in a 5–0 victory over his former club Metalist. He scored in a 4–1 victory over Metalurh Donetsk on 9 August 2009. He netted an extra time winner in the final of the 2011–12 Ukrainian Cup. Kucher scored a brace in a 3–1 victory over Dynamo Kyiv on 4 September 2012 in a man of the match performance. On 11 March 2015, he was given the quickest red card in the history of the Champions League when he was sent off for foul on Thomas Müller in the third minute of a last 16 second leg against…
Kucher made his debut for the Ukraine national team on 15 August 2006 in a 6–0 friendly victory over Azerbaijan. He scored his first goal for Ukraine on 11 October 2006 in a 2–0 Euro 2008 qualifying match victory over Scotland. He was part of Ukraine's squad as they co-hosted UEFA Euro 2012 with Poland, but did not feature in the group stage exit. Four years later, Kucher was again part of his country's 23-man roster to participate in the UEFA Euro 2016. This time, he made one appearance for Ukraine, in a 1–0 loss to Poland, as Ukraine was once again eliminated at the group stage.
- Club
- FC Urartu (2003–2004)
- Club
- FC Metalist Kharkiv (2005–2006)
- Club
- FC Shakhtar Donetsk (2006–2017)
- Club
- FC Kharkiv (2002–2003)
- Club
- FC Metalurh Donetsk (2002–2005)
- Club
- FC Arsenal Kharkiv (2000–2002)
- Club
- FC Kharkiv (2004–2005)
- Club
- Ukraine men's national football team (2006–2017)
- Club
- Kayserispor (2017–2019)
- Club
- FC Karpaty Lviv (2019–2019)
- Club
- FC Metal Kharkiv (2020–2020)
- National team
- Ukraine
Clubs
- FC Arsenal Kharkiv2000–2002
- FC Kharkiv2002–2003
- FC Metalurh Donetsk2002–2005
- FC Urartu2003–2004
- FC Kharkiv2004–2005
- FC Metalist Kharkiv2005–2006
- FC Shakhtar Donetsk2006–2017
- Ukraine men's national football team2006–2017
- Kayserispor2017–2019
- FC Karpaty Lviv2019–2019
- FC Metal Kharkiv2020–2020
Played together with
Aaron LennonKayserispor · 2020–2021- Aaron OpokuKayserispor · 2026
- Abdoulaye DjireFC Metalist Kharkiv · 2008–2008
Abdulkadir ÖzgenKayserispor · 2010–2011
Abdulkadir ÖzgenKayserispor · 2010–2010
Abdullah DurakKayserispor · 2007–2015
- Abdülaziz DemircanKayserispor · 2015
- Abukar MohamedFC Karpaty Lviv
- Adalbert KorponaiFC Metalist Kharkiv · 1990–1990
Adnane TighadouiniKayserispor · 2016
Adrian PukanychFC Shakhtar Donetsk · 2000–2009- Aivars DrupassFC Karpaty Lviv · 1991–1991
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Oleksandr Mykolayovych Kucher is a Ukrainian former professional footballer and current football manager. He was a powerful defender who was good in the air and provided good coverage in the back. He could also play as a defensive midfielder.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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