Former midfielder of Kyiv’s Dynamo, Vasyl Kardash, shared his thoughts on the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifying for the Ukrainian national team.
— We have a tough group. But we can beat every team. Of course, on paper, France is the favorite, but we have sometimes outplayed them. The French surpass the Croats in skill and level, so it would be better if we met with the Balkans. Moreover, Croatia is currently undergoing a process of rejuvenating its squad — their results are not too impressive. As for Iceland, this team is not as strong as it was ten years ago. Recently, the team has not qualified for major tournaments. But we still have to reckon with them, as many players from Iceland play in top European leagues. We must be careful with the Azerbaijanis away, as this team can spoil the mood for many stronger opponents at home.
Of course, we can demand the final first place from the Ukrainians. But it won't be a tragedy if we finish second, because Ukraine was in the second pot during the draw and accordingly deserves the second position, — said Kardash.