Rudi Molotnikov
Scottish association football player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rudi Allan Molotnikov (born 23 May 2006) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Hibernian, and has represented Scotland at the under-17 and under-19 levels. [1][2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rudi Allan Molotnikov | ||
| Date of birth | 23 May 2006 | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hibernian | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Lochend BC | |||
| 2016-2023 | Hibernian | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Hibernian | 18 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Stirling Albion (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022–2023 | Scotland U17 | 5 | (2) |
| 2023– | Scotland U19 | 9 | (3) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 May 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:32, 10 September 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Molotnikov, a lifelong Hibernian fan from nearby Loanhead, began training with the club at around five years old and signed his first academy contract aged 10.[3]
In July 2022, he signed a two-year professional contract with Hibernian.[4] He travelled with the Hibernian first-team in July 2023 to their summer training camp,[5] He featured during the pre-season friendlies, playing as a wide midfielder.[6] He was named among the first-team match day substitutes on 27 July 2023, in the UEFA Europa Conference League against Inter Club d'Escaldes.[7]
In August 2023 he signed a new three-year contract with the club.[8] On 31 August 2023 he made his professional debut for Hibs, appearing as a second-half substitute against Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa Conference League.[9] He was loaned to Stirling Albion in February 2024.[10] At the start of the 2024/25 season, new manager David Gray gave Molotnikov some chances in the starting eleven, and on 16 July 2024 he scored his first professional goal in a 5-1 League Cup victory over Queen's Park.[11] He signed a new four-year deal with Hibs on 30 December 2024, which is due to run until the summer of 2029.[12]
International career
In March 2023, he helped the Scotland U-17 team qualify for the 2023 UEFA European U-17 Championship. He was also subsequently then named in the Scotland U17 squad for the tournament.[13][14]
Personal life
Molotnikov grew up in Loanhead, Midlothian. His father is Justin Molotnikov, a Scottish-born television and film director with credits including Outlander, Poldark and Doctor Who.[15][16]