Alexander Lipenko's column. About the head coach of the country's main team

In June, another former Dynamo Kyiv player Serhiy Stanislavovych Rebrov was appointed head coach of the Ukrainian national team. He became the 18th coach of the country's main team.

Rebrov was born on 3 June 1974. A pupil of Gorlovka football. Honoured Master of Sports of Ukraine. He played for Shakhtar Donetsk (1990-1992), Dynamo Kyiv (1992-2000). He wrote his name in the history of Dynamo, playing in the attack of Kyiv, played 360 matches, in which he scored 177 goals.

Nine-time champion of Ukraine, seven-time winner of the Cup of Ukraine. Three times he was recognised as the best player of the UCL, and also became the best scorer of the UCL (1997/98) (22 goals) and the best scorer of the Champions League 1999/2000 (including qualifying games). He played 72 games in European competitions, scoring 38 goals.

In the national team of Ukraine, the Dynamo player played 75 games and scored 15 goals. In a pair with Andriy Shevchenko Rebrov was one of the most "killer" attacking tandems in Europe. He was distinguished by his fighter character, high speed, dribbling, good head play, strong kick from both feet, selflessness in every match.

After playing abroad he returned to his native Dynamo

After five years of playing abroad in English clubs: "Tottenham" and "West Ham", in "Fenerbahçe", in which he became the champion of Turkey, Sergiy Rebrov returned to his native team, where he continued his career, becoming its leader, captain, continued to spoil the mood of opponents' goalkeepers. "He is a favourite of the sectors. Our hero - Sergei Rebrov", often carried from the fan-sectors of the stadiums.

Became a successful coach

Having finished his career as a player in 2009, Rebrov was appointed assistant coach of Dynamo's double team.

In 2012, Rebrov became an assistant to new Dynamo head coach Oleh Blokhin. After Blokhin's resignation as head coach in 2014, he became the acting and then appointed head coach of FC Dynamo Kyiv. In the first year under Rebrov's leadership in the season 2014-2015 Dynamo became the champions of Ukraine, breaking the 6-year hegemony of Shakhtar Donetsk. The team managed to finish the season without a single defeat. Having defeated Shakhtar in the Ukrainian Cup final, Dynamo made a double. In the next season "Dynamo" managed to defend the championship title, in addition, for the first time since Lobanovskiy's time "Dynamo" entered the play-offs of the Champions League, where on the sum of 2 matches lost to "Manchester City".

After "Dynamo" Rebrov worked as head coach of "Al-Ahli", with which he became the silver medallist of the championship of Saudi Arabia.

Rebrov then continued his coaching work at Budapest's Ferencvaros, which under his leadership became Hungarian champions three times, with Rebrov leading the team to the Champions League group stage for the first time in 25 years. In 2020, Rebrov was rightly recognised as the coach of the 10th anniversary at Ferencvarosz.

Sergei Stanislavovich then travelled east to the UAE, where he took charge of Al Ain, with whom he became champion and won the UAE League Cup.

Climbed the coaching bridge of the national team

Rebrov took over the national team of Ukraine after its defeat 0:2 at Wembley from England, in the first match of the qualifying group "C" of the Euro -2024 championship, which will be held in Germany.

Two qualifying matches under the leadership of the new coach our team won, defeating away team of Northern Macedonia - 3:2 and on the "home" field was defeated by the national team of Malta - 1:0.

Our team has 6 points and the second place in the group. England is the leader - 4 matches, 4 wins. Two matches were played by the Italian team, which has 3 points. The same number of points after three games in the national team of North Macedonia, 0 points so far in the national team of Malta, which has already played 4 games.

From each qualifying group, and there are only 10 of them, in the final tournament with the participation of 24 national teams, the best 2 teams go to the final tournament. One finalist team is already known. It is the team of Germany - the country that organises the European Championship. Three more teams will be determined in March 2024, in a play-off with 12 teams selected on the basis of their results in the UEFA Nations League 2022-2023. The Ukraine national team may be among them, if it fails in qualifying group "C". So, there is one more chance.

Ahead of our guys have a hot autumn. Five qualifying matches:

9.09 Ukraine - England

12.09 Italy - Ukraine

14.10 Ukraine - North Macedonia

17.10 Malta - Ukraine

20.11 Ukraine - Italy

Let's be patient. Hopes feed Ukrainian football fans.

Oleksandr LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua