The war has claimed the life of Serhiy Storozhev, a defender of Ukraine and, in the recent past, a footballer for Kryvyi Rih’s “Kryvbas” and other Ukrainian teams.
Born in Kryvyi Rih in 1980, Serhiy graduated from local school No. 69. From an early age, he began playing football in his hometown and, at 18, signed his first professional contract with “Kryvbas.” However, he struggled to secure a spot in the main squad of the city’s premier team, making only three appearances in the Ukrainian Premier League. Instead, he played for Kryvbas’s reserve team, participating in 55 matches in the Second League and scoring 13 goals—an achievement that made him the team’s record holder for the number of games played.
In early 2000, Serhiy transferred to a new club, joining the Second League team “Sokil” (Zolochiv) in the Lviv region. He later played for Sumy’s “Frunzenets-Liga-99,” which soon merged with FC “Sumy,” after which he returned to his native Kryvyi Rih. He played for the local “Hirnyk” team, concluding his sports career there in 2006. His post-sports life took a different path, and the former footballer worked as a welder.
In 2022, at the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Serhiy went to defend his homeland. For nearly three years, he served on the front lines. Under the harsh conditions of the battlefield, Serhiy’s chronic illness worsened, and he was hospitalized. Tragically, despite the efforts of medical professionals, his heart could not withstand the strain and gave out. Serhiy Storozhev passed away in the final days of 2024.
Eternal memory to the defender of Ukraine!