Forward of the national team of Ukraine Roman Yaremchuk in an interview with the official website of UEFA spoke about the team's willful victory in the Euro 2024 match over Slovakia, and also shared his expectations from the decisive match of the group round against Belgium.
Roman YaremchukAbout the willful victory over Slovakia
I think team spirit came to the fore. Indeed, the game was very difficult for us, especially in the first half. But later we turned the situation around. Our motivation, our character - it was the key to victory. Also at halftime we talked about how to properly press. I am glad that for those 25 minutes that I was on the field, I also managed to help the team. We should have acted more aggressively. Thanks to God, I scored and generally entered the game well. We can take this match as an asset and prepare for the next one with a good mood.
About your goal
I don`t know [whether this is the best goal in the matches for the national team]. Did you see my goal against Kazakhstan? It was pretty good, too. [In the match against Slovakia] it was a striker's goal. Yes, it was a difficult goal, but good strikers at a good level score such goals. So if you represent your country, you have to score goals like that.
About competition with Artem Dovbik
We are good friends. We have a great relationship on and off the pitch. There is a healthy competition, and I respect him very much - he is a very strong footballer, I always enjoy his goals at Girona and in the national team. It's better for the national team, and for me personally it's better because I grow thanks to this competition. I thank him for being normal about it too. It shows that he is at a high level psychologically. There are people who treat competition very differently, and he and I have a good relationship, and that really pays off. You want to treat such people well.
About the match with Belgium
This is a top team. Lukaku, De Bruyne, Doku - all world-class players. We have a very difficult match ahead of us. We have to do something incredible to take points with such a team. I really hope that it will be Ukraine's day and not Belgium's. I know Belgian soccer very well, and this team is really of a very high level. They have a strong system of play, a very tactically savvy coach. I think they are a little bit under pressure now, so they will play with double desire against us. This pressure may push them to play more aggressive and open soccer.
On your development in Belgium
To come to the Belgian championship is a good step for a young player. There is a lot of talent growing there. "Gent" did a lot for me, they trusted me. I thanked them too, I worked well, scored goals, then brought money for the transfer to Benfica. Thanks to "Gent" I started to be called up to the national team of Ukraine, played at Euro 2020. This club has always treated me with great respect, and I just want to thank it.
About the difficulties in recent years
Recently I had quite a lot of injuries. But I have undergone a great transformation as a player, I have become more experienced, I prepare better for matches. I think that I am now a smarter footballer than I was a few seasons ago. Of course, I went through difficult periods, but that's soccer life.
The first six months at Benfica were quite successful, I performed well, but I got injured. Then the full-scale war started. Of course, it had a big impact on me, I lost a lot of weight, my focus was lost. Now it is difficult to talk about it: I think not every footballer goes through such a thing in his career. Yes, it was a difficult moment for me. But I don't want it to be any kind of excuse in terms of soccer. You have to deal with that pressure.
Faith in yourself? I've never lost it. I know I'm a good soccer player. Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time and everything will go the way you planned. That's what soccer life is interesting: difficulties happen, and you start to recognize yourself from a different side. I'm full of energy now, I'm only 28, I feel that my body is responding well. We'll see how [career] will develop further.
On motivation in the national team
I want people to see my motivation in the national team not only by words in interviews, but on the field - thanks to goals, assists and victories of Ukraine. This will be the best proof that I give myself fully in matches for the national team - I play not for money or status, it's all secondary. First of all, it is a great pride to represent Ukraine.
I cherish this time in the national team, I am very proud of it. I have great partners in the national team. It is just a great pride to be here, and there can be no excuses for someone who comes to the national team and does not work one hundred percent.
