Maksym Feshchuk: "Second place at the European Championships is a significant result"

Maksym Feshchuk, a former player of the Ukrainian youth team, which in 2006, under the leadership of Oleksiy Mykhailychenko, reached the European Championships for the first time in history and immediately managed to reach second place, recalled that tournament.

- Did the federation or the coaching staff or the players themselves set themselves any specific objectives for the tournament?

- There was no task as such. We were going to get the maximum result, and then - as it happens. Unfortunately, we managed to take silver.

- You started the tournament with a great victory over the Netherlands with a 2-1 score. What do you remember from that game?

- Maybe they underestimated us a little bit. It was a good game. Our debut was successful, this game gave us a boost.

- In the next game, you narrowly lost to the Italians (0:1), conceding a goal in added time from Giorgio Chiellini. What happened then?

- The game was a battle. We expected at least not to lose. However, an accident happened.

- For the last match in the group against Denmark, however, you were able to pull yourself together and win a strong-willed victory with a score of 2-1. How did you manage to adjust after the fiasco with the Italians?

- We had a very good team and selection of players. Thanks to this, we snatched the victory from the Danes and advanced from the group.

- In the semi-finals, you defeated Serbia and Montenegro only on penalties (0-0, penalties 5-6). Was this opponent really that difficult?

- The game was very hard and even. We were lucky because penalties are a lottery.

- Why did you not manage to beat the Netherlands for the second time in the final, and the team eventually lost (0:3)?

- The Netherlands were a very good team. Before the final, they drew conclusions from the first match. However, in any case, we had a chance.

- How did you feel about the silver medal at the time?

- Actually, positively. Second place at the European Championships is a significant result. However, if you remember how we played, what kind of team we had, you can say that we could have competed for the championship. It was a good tournament with a lot of positive emotions.

- Many future stars of European football played in that tournament. Who do you remember the most?

- I remember Klas-Jan Guentelar. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands defeated France 3-2, and he scored a very cool goal there, scooping a shot over the goalkeeper. Guentelar stood out and was already a great performer at that time. Everyone understood that he had a great future. However, I believe that his career could have been better.

- Who were the leaders in our team?

- Of course, it was Kyiv players. Milevsky, Sasha Aliyev... However, I can say that the team was very strong in all lines. Andrii Pyatov played in goal, Dmytro Chyhrynskyi in defence. I don't even want to single anyone out. Many players from that team later played at a high level.

- It is interesting that after that Euro, the adult World Cup took place almost immediately, to which three players from the youth team (Pyatov, Chygrynsky, Milevsky - ed.) went with Oleg Blokhin's national team. Didn't it feel like they were already mentally in Germany?

- No, it didn't. How can you think about the Senior World Cup when you're playing in a tournament where you have a chance to achieve the maximum result? Believe me, everyone wanted to win and gave their best. This Euro was already something incredible for everyone. Although I don't rule out that the leaders of the youth team wanted to go to the senior World Cup.

- How was it working under Oleksii Mykhailychenko?

- He is a very positive person. It was a pleasure to work under him. He could set up and support a player. I have only the best memories of working with him. A very good microclimate. Whenever I was called up to the youth team, the microclimate was great.

- Who was more humorous in the team?

- Everyone was normal. Sasha Yatsenko loved to joke and lift the atmosphere.

- Were Milevsky and Aliyev already clients back then?

- Of course they were. I have the impression that they had been kents all their lives. I remember a year before the Euros, they had a funny moment at the World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. Each of them considered himself a leader. Milevsky went to the forum as the team's main star, and Aliyev started scoring at the tournament itself and scored five goals. It was interesting to watch them from the outside. Even though they were friends, they were pulling the blanket over each other. At that time, by the way, Argentina won the championship, and 17-year-old Lionel Messi became the top scorer with six goals. We lost to Nigeria in the 1/8 finals (0:1).

- What were the conditions of the team's stay in Portugal ?

- Everything was great. The conditions were at the highest level. We played in the city of Agueda. The final took place in Porto.

- How did the players spend their leisure time between matches?

- In principle, the hotel had all the facilities: a swimming pool, recovery... The games took place every third day, so, to be honest, there was not much free time. We recovered, trained, followed the matches of our competitors.

- How strict was the regime?

- Everything was fine with everyone. Perhaps there could have been a can of beer during the recovery period, but it was not a problem.

- Do you follow our youth team at the Euros now?

- Of course I am. I predict that we can expect very good results. We have a good team and players. The team has the potential to achieve maximum results. That's why I believe and hope. I think they set themselves high goals.

Dmytro Venkov