Back Where His Journey Started: Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s Emotional Return to FC Pyunik Inspires Young Armenians

Armenian football icon and Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan returned to the club where his professional journey began, meeting with dozens of young players at FC Pyunik’s academy in Yerevan as part of a special "Home Coming" event dedicated to his career and legacy.

The gathering brought together aspiring footballers from multiple age groups, many of whom see Mkhitaryan as both a role model and proof that international success is possible for Armenian athletes.

Addressing the young players, Armenia’s all-time leading goalscorer and former national team captain reflected on his career, the challenges he faced, and the dream that drove him from Pyunik’s training grounds to some of Europe’s biggest football clubs.

“What I learned during my years at Pyunik made me the footballer I am today,” Mkhitaryan told the academy players. “Never stop pursuing your goals. If you truly love football, work hard, keep developing, and believe in yourself.”

The visit was organized as a private event at Pyunik’s training base and featured a special program celebrating Mkhitaryan’s football journey. Attendees watched a short documentary about his career before taking part in a discussion focused on perseverance, ambition, and life in professional football.

One of the most emotional moments of the day came when Mkhitaryan, together with Pyunik representatives and academy members, paid tribute to his late father, Hamlet Mkhitaryan, a celebrated figure in Armenian football. Participants observed a minute of silence in his memory.

Mkhitaryan also left his hand and footprint impressions at Pyunik’s symbolic “Tree of Glory,” joining a select group of figures honored by the club.

The Armenian Report attended the event and spoke with several young academy players who described the day as a dream come true.

“We have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” one young footballer told The Armenian Report. “He trained here just like we do now, and then he became one of the best players Armenia has ever produced.”

Another academy player said he hopes Mkhitaryan will one day return to the club in a different role.

“We hope that when he finishes his career, he will come back and become our coach,” the young footballer said.

Mkhitaryan’s remarkable career has taken him from Pyunik to Metalurh Donetsk and Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, before starring for some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Arsenal, Roma, and now Inter Milan. Along the way, he has become one of Armenia’s most recognized sporting ambassadors on the global stage.

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