*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 July 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 May 2019
Serhiy Oleksandrovych Rybalka (Ukrainian: Сергій Олександрович Рибалка; born 1 April 1990) is a Ukrainian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.[2]
Rybalka made his senior team debut on 21 September 2011 in the Ukrainian Cup 3–2 victory against Kremin Kremenchuk.[5] He opened the score in the 14th minute, hitting the free kick into the upper corner.[6] A month later, on 23 October 2011, he made his Ukrainian Premier League debut, coming on at half time in a 6-1 thrashing of Zorya Luhansk.[5][7]
After the debut, Rybalka struggled to establish himself in the squad. In order to help his development, it was decided to loan him to Czech club Slovan Liberec until the end of the 2012–2013 season.[8] Rybalka immediately became one of the key players for Slovan, and in the summer of 2013 his loan was extended for one more season.[9] Rybalka again featured prominently in the side, helping Slovan reach the Round of 32 in the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.
After a successful loan spell, Rybalka returned to Dynamo for the 2014–15 season. New team manager Serhii Rebrov put a lot more trust in him than did Dynamo's previous managers Yuri Syomin and Oleh Blokhin, by making him a permanent fixture in midfield. On 17 May 2015, in a 1-0 Ukrainian Premier League victory against Dnipro, Rybalka assisted on what became the title-clinching goal by Domagoj Vida.[10] On 16 September 2015, Rybalka made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 2–2 draw against Portuguese team FC Porto in the group stage, he assisted Dynamo's second goal which was scored by Vitaliy Buyalskyi on the 89th minute which gave Dynamo a draw.
Sivasspor
On 8 September 2017, Rybalka was loaned to Sivasspor, who had just returned to the Turkish Super League after a one-year absence.[11] After a season on loan, Sivasspor bought Rybalka out of his Dynamo Kyiv contract, and signed him to a three-year deal.[12]
International career
Rybalka was part of the Ukraine U-19 team that won the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. On 27 July 2009, in the last match of the group stage against Switzerland, with hosts Ukraine playing a man down and facing elimination from the tournament, Rybalka scored in the 85th minute to establish the final score (1-0), and to propel Ukraine into the semifinal round.[13] He ended up playing in three of his team's five matches, including the Final against England.[14]
