32 years ago, on 29 April 1992, the Ukrainian national team played its first ever match. The opponent of the Blue and Yellows was neighbouring Hungary, which won 3-1. Ivan Getsko scored the only goal for the Ukrainian team. His goal was the first in the history of the Ukrainian national team.
- You scored the first goal in the history of the Ukrainian national team. Did you receive many congratulations then?
- At the time, no one paid attention to that goal. The score was a bit of a pressure, because the team lost, and what we scored was soaked up and avoided a crushing defeat. Although 1-3 is also unpleasant. But it had to be that way, it's history.
- Didn't you have any meetings with the top of the state? This is still a significant event for the country.
- What are you talking about? We couldn't make the uniforms for the Ukrainian national team in two or three weeks, and here we have a meeting. No one paid any attention to it. The game was planned by the coaching staff of the national team of Ukraine. And then we had to prove that we were national team players and produce results.
- Do you have any mementos from that match, where is the shirt now?
- No, nothing has survived. The shirt was ripped off me at the stadium. The fans were very close. This is my city, the land where I grew up and took my first steps in big football. There were many people who came from my village and district to watch me, not the national team. Not only the shirt, but I even gave shorts and boots to someone, but I don't remember the socks. But I gave the shirt and shorts to someone 100%.
Andrii Pavlechko