Ukrainian national team defender Ilya Zabarnyi criticized the attitude of some players who were called up to the national team for their work, without naming them.
Ilya Zabarnyi. Photo: Getty Images
- I remember when I came, the level of dedication people had. And now, when you see - not all of them, but sometimes young people come to the national team and can beat around the bush at training - for me it's... I won't say the names, but it was unpleasant for me.
I understand everything, but people need to understand where they are coming from, that this is the national team, what matches we have, and that you are not just playing football, but playing for your country, and giving only results.
I'm not worried about the Euros, but I want all the players who are part of the national team to understand what kind of tournament it is, and at what cost we got there, at what cost we need to play there. It's not just about football, it's much more than that. People have to go out on the field and give their all and do it with a cool head.
- You say that there were some people who didn't quite understand. Perhaps because there was no Yarmolenko and Stepanenko, no one who could kick ass?
- Maybe. They are leaders, and maybe this is a factor. But I want no one to be a lever for you. I want the player to understand where he is coming from and what he has to do.
Sometimes you need not just to play beautifully, but to do hard work. Everyone needs to add. I know that nowadays many people on the Internet make stars out of footballers, and I don't want players to think that they are some kind of stars, come to training and might not take your advice, get offended and so on.
