Back in 1999, the Komanda newspaper started a wonderful tradition of identifying the best footballers in Ukraine at the end of the calendar year and forming a symbolic national team from them. At the end of 2023, the editorial board of the Team1 compiled the 25th anniversary list of the 33 best.
Despite the war that Ukraine has been waging with the Horde aggressor for two years, 2023 was a very rich year for Ukrainian football. And its main event was the successful performance of the Ukrainian national team in the final tournament of Euro 2023 U-21, where Ruslan Rotan's team reached the semi-finals, won bronze medals and won a pass to the Olympic Games to be held in Paris in 2024.
By the way, under the leadership of the new coach Unai Melhosa, our youth team continues to delight fans - after five rounds of the Euro 2025 U-21 qualifiers, the Ukrainian national team has the maximum possible number of points and leads the standings in its group.
The five heroes of Euro 2023 U-21 - Anatoliy Trubin, Heorhiy Sudakov, Mykhailo Mudryk, Danylo Sikan, Vladyslav Vanat - as part of the national team of Ukraine, which in 2023 was coached by Ruslan Rotan (in March) and Serhiy Rebrov (debut match - June 12), performed well in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, although they missed out on Italy and England in the standings. However, in March 2024, Rebrov's men will have the opportunity to win the right to play in the final tournament of the European Championships through the play-offs (first against Bosnia, then against the winner of the Israel-Iceland match).
At the beginning of 2023, Shakhtar played two rounds of the Europa League play-offs against Rennes and Feyenoord, and Dnipro-1 played one round of the Conference League play-offs against AEK Cyprus. In the autumn, the Miners managed to defeat Barcelona and Antwerp twice in the Champions League group stage.
In addition, the Ukrainian footballer won the World Club Championship for the first time in history, playing in the main team. Back in 2009, Dmytro Chygrynsky won the trophy with Barcelona, but did not play on the field. But Andriy Lunin defended Real Madrid's goal in both matches of the Royal Club at the Club World Cup in February 2023 - the semi-final against Egyptian Al-Ahly (4: 1) and the final, which was held under the open door programme, against Saudi Arabian Al-Hilal (5: 3).
It is also worth noting that in 2023, the number of Ukrainian players in the top European championships increased significantly. At the beginning of the year, Mykhailo Mudryk made a record transfer for our football - for €70 million (according to TransferMarkt) to Chelsea. In January 2023, Ilya Zabarnyi (Bournemouth; €22.7 million) also moved to the Premier League, and Viktor Tsygankov (€5 million) to Spanish side Girona.
In the summer of 2023, Marseille bought Ruslan Malinowski's contract from Atalanta for €10 million, Benfica bought Anatoliy Trubin's contract for the same amount, and Girona bought Artem Dovbyk's contract for €7.75 million.
Roman Yaremchuk went on loan to Valencia from Brugge, although he, unfortunately, cannot call the past year a successful one in his career, while Mykola Kukharevych (Swansea) and Nazariy Rusyn (Sunderland) left for the second tier of the English Premier League. 19-year-old Yehor Yarmolyuk made his debut in the Premier League for Brentford. Perhaps, by the end of 2024, we will not be able to pass them by when forming a new list of the 33 best footballers in Ukraine...
Anatolii TRUBIN (22 years old; Shakhtar, Benfica (Portugal)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2022, No. 2 - 2020.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 630 minutes.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 4 matches, 360 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 40 matches, 3630 minutes.
Georgii Bushchan (29 years old; Dynamo)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2020, 2021, No. 3 - 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 2 matches, 180 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 19 matches, 1737 minutes.
Andriy Lunin (24 years old; Real Madrid (Spain)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022.
For the club in 2023 - 15 matches, 1350 minutes.
Yukhym KONOPLYA (24 years old; Shakhtar)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2020.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 514 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 29 matches, 2029 minutes, 1 goal.
Oleksandr Tymchyk (26 years old; Dynamo Kyiv)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2021; No. 3 - 2019, 2020.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 3 matches, 140 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 28 matches, 2239 minutes, 2 goals.
Oleksiy Sych (22 years old; Kortrijk (Belgium), Rukh)
No. 3 in the list of the 33 best - 2022.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 523 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 22 matches, 1932 minutes, 1 goal.
Ilya ZABARNYI (21 years old; Bournemouth (England)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2020, 2021, 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 8 matches, 720 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 26 matches, 2187 minutes.
Oleksandr SVATOK (29 years old; Dnipro-1)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2017, No. 3 - 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 5 matches, 229 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 37 matches, 3089 minutes.
3. Maksym Taloverov (23 years old; LASK (Austria)
No. 3 in the list of the top 33 - 2022.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 585 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 33 matches, 1795 minutes, 1 goal.
Mykola MATVIENKO (27 years old; Shakhtar)
No. 1 in the list of the 33 best - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 495 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 35 matches, 3180 minutes, 6 goals.
Eduard Sarapiy (24 years old; Dnipro-1)
In the list of the top 33 for the first time.
He did not play for the national team of Ukraine in 2023.
For the club in 2023 - 38 matches, 3289 minutes, 5 goals.
Arsenii Batagov (21 years old; Zorya)
In the list of the top 33 for the first time.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 12 matches, 1040 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 34 matches, 3025 minutes, 3 goals.
Vitalii Mykolenko (24 years old; Everton(England)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2019, 2020, 2022; No. 2 - 2021; No. 3 - 2018.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 9 matches, 722 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 36 matches, 2819 minutes, 2 goals.
Maxim Bragaru (21 years old; Chornomorets)
In the list of the top 33 for the first time.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 12 matches, 604 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 33 matches, 2954 minutes.
Kostiantyn Vivcharenko (21 years old; Dynamo Kyiv)
No. 3 in the list of the 33 best - 2022.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 10 matches, 747 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 15 matches, 924 minutes, 2 goals.
Taras STEPANENKO (34 years old; Shakhtar)
No.1 in the list of 33 best - 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020; No.2 - 2013, 2015, 2021; No.3 - 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 8 matches, 674 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 36 matches, 2887 minutes, 3 goals.
Serhii Sydorchuk (32 years old; Dynamo, Westerlo(Belgium)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2014, 2021, 2022; No. 2 - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020; No. 3 - 2019.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 6 matches, 149 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 34 matches, 2890 minutes, 2 goals.
Volodymyr BRAZHKO (21 years old; Zorya, Dynamo)
In the list of the top 33 for the first time.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 13 matches, 974 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 32 matches, 2375 minutes, 8 goals.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (27 years old; Arsenal(England)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; No. 2 - 2018.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 6 matches, 485 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 46 matches, 3233 minutes, 2 goals.
Oleksandr Pikhalionok (26 years old; Dnipro-1)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2021, 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 3 matches, 28 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 41 matches, 3416 minutes, 5 goals.
Ruslan MALINOVSKY (30 years old; Marseille(France), Genoa(Italy)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; No. 2 - 2014, 2015.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 6 matches, 228 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 40 matches, 2399 minutes, 4 goals.
Heorhii SUDAKOV (21 years old; Shakhtar)
No. 3 in the list of the 33 best - 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 9 matches, 756 minutes, 1 goal.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 5 matches, 295 minutes, 3 goals.
For the club in 2023 - 38 matches, 3132 minutes, 7 goals.
Artem Bondarenko (23 years old; Shakhtar)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2022; No. 3 - 2021.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 5 matches, 402 minutes, 3 goals.
For the club in 2023 - 34 matches, 2753 minutes, 9 goals.
Vitalii BUYALSKII (30 years old, Dynamo)
No. 2 in the list of 33 best - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; No. 3 - 2015, 2017, 2018.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 4 matches, 89 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 30 matches, 2570 minutes, 8 goals.
Viktor Tsygankov (26 years old; Girona(Spain)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; No. 2 - 2017; No. 3 - 2016.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 521 minutes, 4 goals.
For the club in 2023 - 35 matches, 2538 minutes, 6 goals.
Oleksandr ZUBKOV (27 years old; Shakhtar)
No. 1 in the list of the 33 best - 2020; No. 2 - 2021, 2022, No. 3 - 2019.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 5 matches, 114 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 37 matches, 2785 minutes, 8 goals.
Andrii YARMOLENKO (34 years old; Al Ain (UAE), Dynamo)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021; No. 2 - 2010, 2022; No. 3 - 2009, 2020.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 4 matches, 265 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 27 matches, 2131 minutes, 12 goals.
Mykhailo MUDRYK (22 years old; Chelsea(England)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2022; No. 2 - 2021.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 8 matches, 614 minutes, 1 goal.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 2 matches, 167 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 36 matches, 1633 minutes, 4 goals.
Dmytro KRYSKIV (23 years old; Shakhtar)
In the list of the top 33 for the first time.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 7 matches, 441 minutes.
For the club in 2023 - 37 matches, 2494 minutes, 7 goals.
Oleksiy Hutsulyak (26 years old; Dnipro-1)
In the list of the top 33 for the first time.
He did not play for the national team of Ukraine in 2023.
For the club in 2023 - 35 matches, 2887 minutes, 8 goals.
Artem Dovbyk (26 years old; Dnipro-1, Girona(Spain)
No. 1 in the list of 33 best - 2022; No. 2 - 2021.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 9 matches, 491 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 37 matches, 2730 minutes, 25 goals.
Danylo Sikan (22 years old; Shakhtar)
No. 3 in the list of the 33 best - 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 1 match, 5 minutes.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 9 matches, 463 minutes, 4 goals.
For the club in 2023 - 39 matches, 2285 minutes, 10 goals.
Vladyslav VANAT (21 years old; Dynamo Kyiv)
No. 3 in the list of the 33 best - 2022.
In the national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 5 matches, 216 minutes.
In the youth national team of Ukraine in 2023 - 3 matches, 121 minutes, 1 goal.
For the club in 2023 - 28 matches, 2162 minutes, 14 goals.
Но и не Крыськив.
І так можна по кожній позиції бути в шоці.
Надіюсь, Ребров цей "список" не буде брати до уваги.
Загалом, якщо коротко, то я дещо здивований, що в списку немає Коноплянка. Це вже була б дійсно, "вишенька на торті"!!!