most in the league. At season's end, Hertha BSC were promoted back to the Bundesliga and he hoped to feature again for the newly promoted team. On 31 August, Nikita signed with Bundesliga club Mainz 05 for a reported fee of €1 million, just hours before the transfer cut-off. His last appearance for Berlin was 72 minutes against Jahn Regensburg in the 2. Bundesliga on 24 August 2012. Rukavytsya joined Frankfurt on a year-long loan deal in August 2013, after failing to break into the Mainz first eleven. On 12 October 2014, it was announced that Rukavytsya had returned to Australia to sign for the Western Sydney Wanderers. He made his debut in round 3 against Wellington Phoenix. His first goal for the Wanderers came in round 16 against Wellington Phoenix. In September 2015, Rukavytsya signed for Israeli side Beitar Jerusalem. On 8 June 2016, after one season with Beitar Jerusalem, Rukavytsya joined Maccabi Haifa on a three-year deal worth €400,000 per season. After an unsuccessful 2016–17 season, the following season he scored nine goals in the first five months, including the final goal in a 3–0 cup win over rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv. In the 2019–20 season, Rukavytsya finished top goal scorer in the league with a total of 22 goals. In the 2020–21 season, Maccabi Haifa won the league and Rukavytsya again won the golden boot with a total of 19 goals in the league. In March 2022, Rukavytsya became the leading foreign goalscorer in the Israeli Premier League. International career While eligible to play for Ukraine, he decided to play for Australia and in 2008, represented Australia in the Australian U-23's Olympic Team at the 2008 Summer Olympics, locking his commitment to Australia. After a good end to the 2007–08 season, he earned himself a place in the Olyroos squad for the Beijing Olympics and a Socceroos call-up. Rukavytsya scored in a warm-up game for the Olyroos against Adelaide United. He also scored his first international goal for the Australian U-23's, in their 3–0 win over Croatian U-21's at the Intercontinental Cup in Malaysia on 16 May 2008. Rukavytsya was named in Pim Verbeek's 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He made two appearances off the bench for the Socceroos. Rukavytsya scored his first international goal in a friendly against South Korea on 14 November 2012, Australia won 2–1. In May 2018, he