FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukrainian: ФК «Шахтар» Донецьк) is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year before the competition was revamped as the Europa League. They are one of only two Ukrainian clubs, the other being Dynamo Kyiv to have won a major UEFA competition.

The club draws its history from the very start of the Soviet football league competitions and is one of the oldest clubs in Ukraine. The club was a member of the Soviet Voluntary Sports Society of Shakhtyor having connections with other Soviet teams from Karaganda (Kazakhstan), Soligorsk (Belarus) etc. The Donetsk-based club became culturally entwined with the heavily industrialized and Russified region of Ukraine, Donets Basin, better known as the Donbas hence the name of its stadium. In the late Soviet period Shakhtar was considered a tough mid-table club of the Soviet Top League and a cup competition specialist after winning the Soviet Cup two years in a row (1961 and 1962).

Donetsk (Ukrainian: Донецьк Ukrainian pronunciation: [doˈnɛt͡sʲk], translit. Donets’k; Russian: Доне́цк, translit. Donetsk; former names: Yuzovka, Staline, Stalino, see also: Cities' alternative names), is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the larger economic and cultural Donets Basin (Donbass) region. Donetsk is a major economic, industrial and scientific center of Ukraine with a high concentration of companies and a skilled workforce.

The city was founded in 1869 by a Welsh businessman, John Hughes, who constructed a steel plant and several coal mines in the region; the town was thus named Yuzovka (Юзовка) in recognition of his role in its founding ("Yuz" being a Russian or Ukrainian approximation of Hughes). During Soviet times, the city's steel industry was expanded. In 1924–1931, the town was renamed in Stalino (Сталино). In 1932 the city became the center of Donetsk region. Today, the city remains the center for Ukraine's coal mining and notable steel industry center.

Douglas Costa de Souza (born 14 September 1990 in Sapucaia do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul), commonly known as Douglas Costa or simply Douglas, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

On 10 January 2010 he signed a 5 year contract with Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk for €6 million. He made his competitive debut in a Europa League tie in a 2–1 defeat at Fulham's Craven Cottage and made his home debut the following week in the 2nd leg of the tie. His first season with Shakhtar wasn't what he might have expected, he started a couple of matches, but most of his goals came as a substitutes scoring for consecutive games to bring Shakhtar victories. This season he has scored 5 league goals for the Ukrainian giants.

The 2009 South America Youth Championship winner was a much sought after prospect before his rather surprising move east to the Brazilian colony at Shakhtar last winter. A subdued first six months at the club has segued into a more productive second half of 2010. His explosive turn of pace and skilful style of play has seen Lucescu use him on both wings, with his ability to cut inside from the right providing an ancillary goal threat. Still a little inconsistent, but revelling in the liberal attacking environment that Lucescu has created in Donetsk.

Luiz Adriano de Souza da Silva or simply Luiz Adriano (born April 12, 1987 in Porto Alegre), is a Brazilian striker who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk.

The top moment of his career, however, did not come until late 2006, as Internacional faced against Barcelona in the FIFA Club World Cup. Luiz Adriano came in as a late substitute and helped the squad as teammate Adriano Gabiru netted the winner in the 82nd minute. Luiz Adriano scored the defining goal for Internacional in their 2–1 win over Al-Ahly during the semifinals of the tournament.

Luiz Adriano was transferred from Internacional to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk on March 2, 2007, for a reported €3 million price (R$8,128,830). With Shakhtar he won the Ukrainian Premier League. He scored the opening goal of the 2009 UEFA Cup Final which his team Shakhtar Donetsk went on to win 2–1 after extra time. Following the UEFA Cup, he had provided his club with many goals, holding the image of a target man.

On 16 February 2011, he scored the winning goal against AS Roma in a 3–2 away victory during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 and after being victorious across the two legs.