At Winterfest 2026, Newmag will present Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s memoir “My Life Always at the Center” (trailer)
01/29/2026
This memoir traces the journey of a determined Armenian boy, from Yerevan’s Pyunik to Europe’s greatest football clubs. For the first time, Henrikh Mkhitaryan speaks openly about the responsibility of wearing the national team jersey, the role of captain, the backstage world of European football, and the importance of family.
Originally published in Italy in 2025, “My Life Always at the Center” was immediately recognized as a bestseller. At the initiative of Henrikh Mkhitaryan himself, Newmag Publishing House, in close cooperation with the Mkhitaryan family, began work on the Armenian edition at the same time as the original release. Armenian became the first language of translation, a deliberate and meaningful decision by Armenia’s greatest football player of all time.
Written in collaboration with Italian journalist and football biographer Alessandro Alciato, the book reveals a different side of an athlete accustomed to being at the center of the game. This time, Mkhitaryan speaks not about goals, but about choices, responsibility, and values. “My Life Always at the Center” is a story not only of victories, but also of struggle, promises kept, and the determination to remain human.
The memoir begins with a childhood promise, made in memory of his father. After his father’s death, football became distant for a time, yet Mkhitaryan vowed to reach the heights his father never had the chance to see. From Pyunik to Europe’s top clubs, across Ukraine, Germany, England, and Italy, each country became a new challenge, each team a new lesson.
“My Life Always at the Center” is a deeply personal story of a sporting path marked by loneliness, demanding coaches, mistakes, and hard-earned decisions. For the first time, Mkhitaryan openly reflects on leading the national team, the weight of captaincy, the unseen side of elite football, and the role his family played throughout his journey.
The book was translated from Italian into Armenian by Lusine Shukuryan and Ani Hakobyan.
The presentation of “My Life Always at the Center” will take place on February 7 at 5:00 PM, at Dvin Music Hall, as part of the Newmag Winter Book and Art Festival 2026. Admission is free. On the day of the event, the book will be available at a special festival price. Henrikh Mkhitaryan will take part in the presentation via video message, and renowned football figures will also attend.
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Alessandro Alciato
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
7800 ֏
Description
Henrikh Mkhitaryan was born into football, yet his journey was forged as much by loss as by talent. His father, Hamlet Mkhitaryan—one of the most formidable strikers in Armenian football history—played in France’s Ligue 2 and shaped the family’s life around the game. When Hamlet died of brain cancer at just 33, Henrikh was only seven. The grief was profound; for a time, he could not even bring himself to touch a ball. But from that silence emerged a promise: to go where his father could not.
At fourteen, Mkhitaryan left home for Brazil to train with São Paulo, immersing himself in a new football culture, refining his technique, adopting a more creative style, and learning Portuguese along the way. What followed was a career defined by relentless progression and ambition: Pyunik, Metalurh, Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, and Arsenal—each step elevating his status on the European stage.
In 2019, he moved to Italy, spending three seasons with Roma before joining Inter Milan on July 2, 2022, under Simone Inzaghi. He quickly became a central figure in the Nerazzurri’s system, valued for his intelligence, discipline, and ability to influence decisive moments.
This book is more than the biography of an elite athlete. It is an intimate story of a son shaped by early bereavement, driven by devotion, and guided by a quiet, unwavering resolve. A portrait of determination, identity, and purpose—an inspiring account for anyone who believes in the power of work, sacrifice, and dreams that outlive loss.
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