Smiles of Armenians – motivation for Henrikh Mkhitaryan

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. Armenian national football team and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan commented on Euro-2016 qualifying Armenia-Denmark match.

“Armenpress” reports, basing on UEFA official page, that Mkhitaryan said that victory is his only motivation and when they win all the Armenians smile, music is played and they celebrate the victory. As Mkhitaryan said the smiles are a great motivation for him. He also expressed hopes that they would play better against the Danish team than they did in the previous match. Mkhitaryan also added that their opponent is a tough one but they are used to facing such teams.

Armenia-Denmark match will take place in Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadiumon September 7. The match will kick off at 20:00.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was born on 22 January 1989 in the Armenian capital Yerevan to Marina Taschyan and Hamlet Mkhitaryan, a prominent striker of FC Ararat Yerevan during the 1980s, who died of a brain tumor at age of 33 when Mkhitaryan was seven years old. His mother is the head of the national teams department in the Armenian Football Federation and his elder sister, Monica, works at UEFA's headquarters. Mkhitaryan plays as a midfielder for German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Armenia national football team. Mkhitaryan is Armenia's all-time top goalscorer, scoring 16 goals in 52 international matches since his debut in January 2007. His previous clubs include Pyunik Yerevan, where he came through the youth system, Metalurh Donetsk, and Shakhtar Donetsk.Mkhitaryan has been chosen Armenian Footballer of the Year five times (every year since 2009, except 2010). In 2012 he was voted as the best Shakhtar player of 2011–12 season by the fans, and Ukraine Premier League MVP. In 2012, Mkhitaryan was named in UEFA's Top 100 players by UEFA European Football Yearbook 2012–13. Mkhitaryan was voted the CIS Footballer of the Year for 2012, making him the first Armenian footballer to be named the best player from post-Soviet countries. He received the award again for 2013. Mkhitaryan received the nickname Heno from his fans in Armenia and has been nicknamed Micki by his Borussia Dortmund fans.