Lech signs Artur Rudko

Rudko was born in Kyiv, and he took his first football steps at the local Dynamo. The 30-year-old initially played in the second team of the Ukrainian side and made a total of 49 appearances in the second division. In the 2013/2014 season, he joined the first team but had few opportunities to show his skills on the pitch. Back then, Rudko competed for a spot in the goal against Maksym Koval, Denys Boyko, Oleksandr Rybka and Ukrainian legend - Oleksandr Shovkovskyi.

The goalkeeper made his debut in the Ukrainian top division at Hoverla Uzhhorod which he joined on loan. After 18 months, Rudko returned to the Ukrainian capital. In 2016, he finally made his debut appearance for his home club’s first team in the Ukrainian Cup (against FK Oleksandriya, 1:1) and then in the league (Metalist Kharkiv, 4:1).

At Dynamo, Rudko competed for a spot in the starting line-up against the previously mentioned Shovkovskyi, who was a role model for Lech’s new goalkeeper. “I grew up and looked up to him; he was my idol. Then I joined the first team, and he was my rival. You don’t think about it – you’re just happy to be a part of such a team and get experience alongside them. With time, it changed – I wanted to play, and I was no longer a small boy who is happy to train with his idol. Some concessions to Shovkovskyi, which resulted from his age, infuriated me. Even if I had worked very well for a month or two, I had no chance of playing. On the other hand, he was a legend,” explained Rudko in one of the interviews.

The turning point came in 2016/2017 when Shovkovskyi suffered an injury. That’s when Rudko received a chance to present himself. He even appeared in five Champions League clashes, the first one being a match against Besiktas.

“It’s highly motivating. You started playing football for that reason. It’s a fantastic feeling to perform in front of a crowded stadium that supports your team until the very end. The emotions in the city, the hotel… You feel it all and it’s motivating you. At home, the pressure from your own fans is even bigger. It’s your city, you were born here, so the responsibility when playing at home is completely different,” recalled Rudko.

In the clash with the Turkish team, the final score was a 1:1 draw, but in the second leg, Dynamo won 6:0. Moreover, Rudko also played in two games against Benfica (1:2 and 0:1), and in the clash with SSC Napoli that ended in a goalless draw.

The following campaign wasn’t as successful for Rudko. Despite Shovkovskyi's retirement, Rudko failed to overpass Koval, Boyko, and Bushchan in the hierarchy. As a result, the goalkeeper decided on a transfer to Pafos. In Cyprus, he immediately made his way into the starting line-up. He stayed there for 3 years and in 2020, he was named the best goalkeeper of the autumn league round. In addition, Rudko beat the club’s record for the longest time without conceding a goal. The keeper’s great form resulted in a transfer to Metalist Kharkiv which was supposed to come into force on July 1^st. Unfortunately, Rudko is unable to return to his home country and has decided to spend the upcoming season at Lech Poznań.