Ukrainian goalkeeper of Atlético Paranaense Maxim Voronov reacted to the information that the club offered him to take Brazilian citizenship.
- Maxim, we spoke to you less than a year ago. How have you been doing lately in Brazil?
- Everything is going well. I became the first number in Atlético Paranaense U-20. We reached the semifinals of the Brazilian championship and are now in the playoffs of the Northern Team Cup.
- In one of the matches for the U-20 team, you scored a goal. Can you tell us how it happened?
- I saw that our striker was ahead and tried to pass to him. I hit him very hard, and it so happened that the ball went into the goal.
And in another match I managed to pass the ball. I also saw the forward and purposefully gave a long pass to him.
- How are you doing with penalty kicks?
- In the match against Gremio, I saved two penalties in the first half. And in the 1/4 finals of the Brazilian championship I saved another penalty. In total - three.
The coach prepares material on the opponent's players, who kicks where from the penalty spot. He finds all their kicks, and I decide.
- Are you invited to train with the first team of Atlético Paranaense?
- I'm the fourth goalkeeper there now. Sometimes I train with them, but for now I play for the U-20s. Once I got into the application of the first team of Atletico for the match of the Brazilian championship against Palmeiras.
- When can we expect your debut for the first team?
- Football is unpredictable. It could be tomorrow, or maybe in five years. The first team has very strong goalkeepers. One of them, Mikael, born in 2004, even got into the Brazilian national team for a friendly match in honor of Pele against Morocco last March.
- Did you follow the performances of the U-19 national team at Euro 2024, where the team reached the semifinals?
- Of course, I watched and cheered for them.
- Has anyone from Dmytro Mykhailenko's coaching staff contacted you?
- No, no one has contacted me yet. I don't even know if they are watching my game.
I saw that the goalkeeper of the youth national team of Ukraine Vladyslav Krapivtsov got to Chelsea. I watched his games at Euro 2024. I really liked him, he's a good goalkeeper. But I think I could fight for a place in the national team.
- The Ukrainian media reported that Atlético Paranaense offers you to consider taking Brazilian citizenship. Is this really true?
- There have been such conversations, and the club's director spoke to me about it. But for this I need to live in Brazil longer, another year and a half or two. I've been here for three years, but it's not enough.
- Is this with the prospect of playing for the Brazilian national team in the future?
- I haven't delved into the issue of changing my citizenship yet, there are talks and talks. Of course, I dream of playing for Ukraine!
- And if you are not called up to the Ukrainian national team in the next two years, will you agree to take Brazilian citizenship?
- I think so. I would not want to change my citizenship, I am a Ukrainian, I would like to play for our national team. But if I am not called up, I would like to play internationally.
- So you are still waiting for a call-up to the Ukrainian national team?
- Of course I am. Next year, the World Youth Championship will be held here in Chile. Both Ukraine and Brazil have qualified for the tournament.
Of course, I would like to go to this tournament as part of the Ukrainian national team!
- Does Brazil have a limit on legionnaires? Perhaps the club's proposal to change my citizenship is related to this?
- I do not know this. Our club has many legionnaires - from Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay. But I don't know about any specific limit.
Andriy Kaplun