Last Updated on September 17, 2026 by Siara Costa
Yevhen Cheberko is a Ukrainian professional footballer who has built a career across Ukraine, Austria, Croatia and Major League Soccer. Born on January 23, 1998, in Melitopol, Ukraine, the central defender represented his country at several youth levels before making his senior international debut in 2020. After successful years with Columbus Crew, Cheberko moved to Los Angeles FC in 2026.
Away from football, Cheberko has spoken openly about how important his family remains to him, particularly amid the difficulties caused by the war in Ukraine. He is married to Darina Cheberko, while interviews also confirm that he has a mother, a brother and a grandmother with whom he maintains close relationships. Information about his father is more limited, although Cheberko has credited both his father and brother with helping him begin playing football as a child.
Who Is Yevhen Cheberko’s Wife?
Yevhen Cheberko is married to Darina Cheberko, whose first name may also be transliterated from Ukrainian as Daryna.
The couple met in Ukraine and later married there. In a 2025 interview about his life in the United States, Cheberko said that he lived with his wife and their small Pomeranian dog and explained that the two had met and married in Ukraine.
Darina has accompanied Yevhen during important stages of his career abroad. She lived with him during his time in Europe and later moved to the United States when he joined Columbus Crew in 2023.
Cheberko has occasionally discussed their life together in interviews, describing everyday activities such as visiting parks and restaurants, spending time with friends and eating meals prepared at home by Darina.
When Did Yevhen Cheberko and Darina Get Married?
Public reporting indicates that Yevhen and Darina married around 2021. Ukrainian media described Darina as his newlywed wife that year and reported on photographs from their wedding celebrations.
A later American profile published in 2023 described Darina as Cheberko’s wife of approximately three years, placing the beginning of their marriage around the 2020-21 period.
Rather than relying on an exact wedding date that has not been consistently documented by authoritative sources, it is safest to say that the couple married in Ukraine around 2021.
What Does Yevhen Cheberko’s Wife Darina Do?
Ukrainian media reports from around the time of their marriage described Darina as a photographer.
She has also maintained a public social-media presence and has occasionally appeared alongside her husband in photographs. Nevertheless, Darina is primarily known publicly because of her relationship with Cheberko rather than through football.
When the couple moved to the United States, Cheberko said that Darina was interested in experiencing a new environment and improving her English. The move therefore represented a new chapter for both of them rather than simply a change in Yevhen’s football career.
Does Yevhen Cheberko Have Children?
As of now, there is no reliable public confirmation that Yevhen Cheberko and his wife Darina have children.
Recent interviews in which Cheberko discusses his home life mention his wife and their Pomeranian dog but do not identify any sons or daughters. Neither his official MLS biographies nor reliable Ukrainian interviews reviewed for this profile confirm that he is a father.
Because family circumstances can remain private, this does not prove that Cheberko could not have children. It simply means that no children have been reliably documented publicly.
Who Are Yevhen Cheberko’s Parents?
Yevhen Cheberko was raised in Melitopol, Ukraine. His parents supported his interest in football from an early age, although very little verified information about their names or professional backgrounds has been published.
An early interview with Cheberko provides direct evidence about his father’s role in his football development, while more recent interviews have revealed considerably more about his mother because of the impact of the war in Ukraine on the family.
Who Is Yevhen Cheberko’s Father?
Yevhen Cheberko’s father played an important role in introducing him to organized football.
In an interview from his early professional career, Cheberko was asked whether his father had taken him to his first football training. He confirmed that his father and brother were involved, adding that his brother was particularly eager for him to start training.
Cheberko began playing organized football at around nine years old in his hometown of Melitopol before progressing through Ukrainian youth football and eventually joining the development system in Dnipro.
Reliable public sources reviewed for this article do not provide his father’s full name or occupation. Although Cheberko’s full Ukrainian name is Yevhen Ihorovych Cheberko, it is preferable not to construct a full biography of his father from the patronymic alone without independent confirmation.
Who Is Yevhen Cheberko’s Mother?
Yevhen Cheberko has spoken frequently about his mother, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
When the invasion began, Cheberko was playing club football in Croatia with NK Osijek. He later explained that he was able to help his mother leave Melitopol approximately three months after the invasion began and reach him in Croatia.
Later interviews showed that his mother continued maintaining strong ties with Ukraine and with Yevhen’s grandmother. In 2023, Cheberko explained that his mother regularly contacted his grandmother in Melitopol whenever communication networks allowed.
In another interview conducted during his years in MLS, Cheberko said that his mother was again living in Ukraine. He described staying in close contact with his relatives despite the considerable distance between the United States and his homeland.
Cheberko’s mother’s name has not been reliably documented in the major interviews and official profiles reviewed, so it is better not to assign her an unverified identity.
Does Yevhen Cheberko Have Siblings?
Yes. Yevhen Cheberko has at least one brother.
His brother appears to have been an important influence on Yevhen’s decision to begin playing football. During an interview about his childhood, Cheberko explained that his father and brother took him to football training and said his brother was even more enthusiastic about seeing him play.
Cheberko has continued mentioning his brother as an adult. In a more recent interview, he spoke about being able to see his brother and aunt during a visit with relatives, saying that he had missed them considerably.
No reliable source reviewed for this profile provides his brother’s name, age or occupation. It is also unclear whether Yevhen has additional brothers or sisters. For that reason, the confirmed information is that he has at least one brother.
How Did Yevhen Cheberko’s Brother Influence His Football Career?
Cheberko’s brother appears to have encouraged his interest in football before professional ambitions had even developed.
Yevhen has recalled playing football with his brother and friends while growing up. At that stage, he regarded football primarily as something enjoyable rather than a future profession.
His brother also helped encourage him to attend structured training. That early family support ultimately led Cheberko into the youth system in Melitopol and later to the UFK Dnipropetrovsk setup and FC Dnipro academy.
From there, Cheberko progressed into professional football, representing Dnipro, Zorya Luhansk, LASK, Osijek and Columbus Crew before joining LAFC.
Yevhen Cheberko’s Grandmother
Cheberko has also spoken extensively about his grandmother, who remained in Melitopol after the city came under Russian occupation.
He explained that she did not want to leave her home despite the circumstances. Communication sometimes became difficult because of disruptions to internet and telephone services.
Cheberko’s mother would regularly try to contact her, and the family also maintained contact with people living nearby who could check on her when necessary.
Being thousands of miles away in the United States has made the situation emotionally challenging for the defender. Cheberko has said that knowing his relatives are safe helps him concentrate on football, while staying in contact with family and friends remains an important part of his life.
Yevhen Cheberko’s Family and the War in Ukraine
The war has had a profound effect on Cheberko’s family. He was outside Ukraine playing professionally when the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, while relatives remained in his home country.
His hometown of Melitopol became occupied, creating uncertainty about relatives and friends who remained there. Cheberko has discussed the emotional difficulty of following events from abroad while being unable to return home normally.
He helped his mother leave Melitopol during the early months of the invasion, while his grandmother chose to remain. His wife Darina also has family connections in Ukraine and has visited relatives in Kamianske.
Throughout his MLS career, Cheberko has continued expressing support for Ukraine while emphasizing the importance of communicating regularly with his relatives.
Yevhen Cheberko and Darina’s Life in the United States
Yevhen and Darina relocated to the United States after Columbus Crew signed the defender from Croatian club NK Osijek in 2023.
The transition presented a major cultural change for the couple. Cheberko said Darina was interested in improving her English and experiencing American life, while Columbus’ Ukrainian community helped them feel more comfortable in their new surroundings.
The couple established routines that included attending gatherings with Ukrainian friends, exploring parks and restaurants and spending time with their dog. Cheberko has also said that Darina attends church with other Ukrainians and that he joins her when his football schedule allows.
These connections allowed the couple to retain elements of their Ukrainian identity while adapting to life thousands of miles from home.
Yevhen Cheberko’s Family Background in Melitopol
Cheberko was born and raised in Melitopol, a city in southeastern Ukraine. His childhood there shaped both his personality and his earliest experiences with football.
He began organized training around the age of nine under coach Stanislav Zabroda. His performances eventually took him away from home to Dnipropetrovsk, where he continued developing as a young footballer.
Moving away at a relatively young age was the first of many relocations in his career. He later lived in Luhansk, Austria, Croatia and the United States, but interviews show that his connection with his family and hometown has remained strong.
Frequently Asked Questions About Yevhen Cheberko’s Family
Who is Yevhen Cheberko’s girlfriend?
Yevhen Cheberko does not have a publicly known girlfriend because he is married. His wife is Darina Cheberko.
Who is Yevhen Cheberko’s wife?
Yevhen Cheberko’s wife is Darina Cheberko, sometimes transliterated as Daryna. They met in Ukraine and married there around 2021.
What does Yevhen Cheberko’s wife do?
Ukrainian media reports around the time of their marriage described Darina as a photographer.
Does Yevhen Cheberko have children?
As of now, no children have been reliably confirmed for Yevhen and Darina Cheberko.
Who are Yevhen Cheberko’s parents?
Cheberko has publicly discussed both his father and mother, but their full names and professional backgrounds have not been reliably documented in major sources. His father helped introduce him to football, while his mother has remained an important presence throughout his career.
Does Yevhen Cheberko have a brother?
Yes. Cheberko has at least one brother. He has said that his brother helped encourage him to start football training when he was a child.
What is Yevhen Cheberko’s brother’s name?
His brother’s name has not been reliably documented publicly. Cheberko has mentioned him in interviews but has kept further personal details private.
Does Yevhen Cheberko have a sister?
No reliable public source reviewed for this profile confirms that Cheberko has a sister. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to claim that he does or does not have one.
Where is Yevhen Cheberko’s family from?
Cheberko is from Melitopol, Ukraine. His wife Darina is also Ukrainian, and her family has connections to Kamianske.
Where does Yevhen Cheberko live now?
Cheberko moved to the United States with his wife after joining Columbus Crew in 2023. In 2026, he transferred to Los Angeles FC, beginning another chapter of his MLS career.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
