Maksim Tsyhalka (Belarusian: Максім Цыгалка, Russian: Максим Цыгалко, romanizedMaksim Tsygalko; often spelled Maxim Tsigalko; 27 May 1983 – 25 December 2020) was a Belarusian football player. He ended his professional career early (at the age of 26) in 2010 due to persistent injuries.

Maksim Tsyhalka
Personal information
Full name Maksim Tsygalko
Date of birth (1983-05-27)27 May 1983
Place of birth Minsk, Belarusian SSR
Date of death 25 December 2020(2020-12-25) (aged 37)
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1999–2001 Dinamo Minsk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Dinamo-Yuni Minsk 27 (17)
2000Dinamo-2 Minsk 10 (3)
2001–2005 Dinamo Minsk 53 (24)
2006–2007 Naftan Novopolotsk 24 (3)
2007–2008 Kaisar 21 (7)
2008 Banants 4 (2)
2008 Savit Mogilev 8 (2)
International career
2002–2004 Belarus U21 11 (3)
2003 Belarus 2 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Honours

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Dinamo Minsk

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Maksim and, to a lesser extent, his brother Yuri both achieved a small amount of fame and worldwide renown after they were featured in the Championship Manager / Football Manager computer game series by Sports Interactive, especially in CM 01/02. Both players were present in the database with good starting stats and a very high potential, and Maksim (spelled "Maxim Tsigalko" in the game) in particular was capable of becoming a world class player, to the degree that he is very well known amongst fans of the Football Manager series and considered one of the game's legends.[1][2]

Personal life

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Tsyhalka also had a twin brother Yury who played as a goalkeeper. The brothers played alongside each other at Dinamo Minsk.

Death

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Maksim Tsyhalka died on 25 December 2020 at the age of 37.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Spotlight on CM/FM Legends : Maxim Tsigalko and Cherno Samba". footmanager.co.uk. 17 December 2009. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012.
  2. ^ Rob Smyth (14 November 2008). "The Joy of Six: great Championship/ Football Manager players". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Умер футболист Максим Цыгалко. Ему было 37 лет (in Russian)[dead link]
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