Valeri Popovitch

Valeri Popovitch

Popovitch with Ilves in a charity match in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Valeri Aleksandrovich Popovitch
Date of birth	(1970-05-18) 18 May 1970
Place of birth	Gorky, USSR
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Striker, Attacking midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1986	Khimik Dzerzhinsk	3	(1)
1987	Lokomotiv Gorky	3	(0)
1988–1989	CSKA Moscow	25	(0)
1990–1991	Spartak Moscow	10	(0)
1992–1993	TPV	48	(26)
1994	Ilves	12	(3)
1994–2008	Haka	323	(170)
1995–1996	→ Ikast (loan)	6	(3)
1999–2000	→ Heerenveen (loan)	18	(6)
2009	HJK	16	(3)
2010–2012	Ilves	?	(?)
International career
	USSR U-17
	USSR U-19
Managerial career
2010–2012	Ilves (player-coach)
2012	Haka (youth coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Valeri Aleksandrovich Popovitch (Russian: Валерий Александрович Попович; born 18 May 1970) is a Russian former football forward. Popovitch is the all-time scoring leader of FC Haka. After his contract ended with HJK in 2010, he joined Ilves Tampere playing in Kakkonen, as a player-coach, signing a two-year contract. Currently he is a youth coach at FC Haka. Popovitch also holds the Finnish citizenship.

He has also capped several times for Soviet U-17 and U-19 National football teams. U-17 finished third in the 1986 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, and U-19 won the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in 1988. Popovitch played in both tournaments.

Popovitch played for FC CSKA Moscow in Soviet First League and FC Spartak Moscow in the Soviet Top League.

Legacy

Popovitch holds a legendary status in Finland and especially in Valkeakoski, where his regarded as one of the best players ever to play for FC Haka. FC Haka retired his number, 14. During his career, he made 395 appearances and scored 166 goals in Finnish top-tier, making him the top scorer in the Veikkausliiga history.

His son Anton Popovitch is also a professional footballer, currently playing for Ilves.