In an interview with The Guardian, UAF President Andriy Shevchenko spoke about the importance of Ukraine's national team qualifying for Euro 2024 and emphasized the challenges our country faces after Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine.
Andriy Shevchenko. Photo: The Observer
"Ukraine's entry into Euro 2024 is a very important moment for us. It is very important that our team and our country participate in this tournament. We can tell about Ukraine and show that the country is fighting and, at the same time, trying to live. This is such a difficult moment, and our duty in sports is to do the best we can.
I want to help my country, I want to be here, and that's why I ran for the UAF presidency. This is my plan: to support and love Ukraine for many reasons. We have many friends and partners who support us, and we have to stay together every day.
The main task when I started working was to organize the national team's trip to Germany. There are other issues that we have to deal with: organizing matches of the Ukrainian championship, improving the financial situation. Many talented young footballers left the country because of Russia's invasion, and we need to reconnect with them. This is one of the biggest challenges in our future because we want these talents to play for our national team.
Serhiy Rebrov and I see football in the same way. We have a very similar mindset. We had talent, but then we added education, hard work, dedication and discipline. What I have always liked about Rebrov is his professionalism. His dedication to his work is simply amazing. And, of course, I know what he thinks about the team and how it should play now. He took the guys in such a difficult situation, especially with England and Italy in the qualifiers, but we fought to the end and it worked. Not only because of the struggle, but also because of the good football we showed.
It is always difficult to play against our teams. Our mentality, our strong character: we will always fight and compete. This has been our identity for a long time, and now it is even more evident. We are facing incredible difficulties even in terms of hosting Ukrainian championship matches, but our football society now feels very united. There is a great determination to understand and solve our problems.
The war for us started in 2014. Since then, there has been no chance to stop it. The reaction of the whole world was very slow, but they opened their eyes two years ago and still support us. We have faced very difficult conditions: sirens every day, a difficult situation on the frontline, and obviously people are tired. But our people are strong and will continue. Ukrainian football players who will take to the football fields in Germany will send a message that will remind the world that we are still fighting in all directions. It is important how you use this power. Do you use it in the right way to connect with people and bring them the message of peace. Football is a very powerful tool: we have to use it in the right way," Shevchenko said.
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