Ilya Vladyslavovych Blyznyuk (Ukrainian: Ілля Владиславович Близнюк; born 28 July 1973 is a Ukrainian football coach and former goalkeeper.
Blyznyuk is a product of FC Metalurh Zaporizhia football academy (sports school).[1] He made his debut in the Vyshcha Liha for his home team on 19 April 1992 in an away game against FC Nyva Vinnytsia when he came out on substitution for Yuriy Syvukha. The game was tied at 1 and Blyznyuk allowed the goal against. In his first professional season, Blyznyuk played 5 games and allowed 7 goals. For the next several seasons he was sharing the play time in the club with Syvukha. In 1994 with arrival of Taras Hrebenyuk, Blyznyuk played only 4 games in the league.
He remained with Metalurh until 1995 when he moved to the top league newcomer FC Zirka Kirovohrad where he became the main goalkeeper playing in 33 games out of 34. Zirka impressed many by its performance placing that season 6th among 18 teams. In 1996 he was invited to FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and made a debut for the Ukrainian national football team on 13 August 1996. In 1996–1998 Blyznyuk was the first goalkeeper for Dnipro and in 1997–98 season appeared at clubs' continental level competitions.
In 1998 he was invited to FC Dynamo Kyiv but played only for the club's reserve teams at lower levels. In 2000 Blyznyuk was loaned away to FC Rostselmash Rostov-na-Donu.[2] The time in Rostov did not earn him a place on the Dynamo's first team and in 2001 he left Dynamo for Rostov. In Rostov Blyznyuk remained until 2005 when he moved to the Russian Premier League newcomer FC Tom Tomsk. After a season in Tomsk, Blyznyuk returned briefly to Ukraine playing for FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, but in 2006 he returned to Russia signing with FC Shinnik Yaroslavl. Blyznyuk finished his playing career following the 2007 season in Rostov.[1]
Blyznyuk is the father of 3 children, including 2012 Olympics and 2016 Olympics champion in group rhythmic gymnastics Anastasia Bliznyuk.