The Italian publication “Corriere Fiorentino” dedicated one of its articles titled “The Smile of Popov, the Ukrainian Talent Who Fled the War” to the Dynamo Kyiv trainee, 18-year-old forward Bohdan Popov, who made his debut for Italian Empoli in Serie B last weekend and scored a brace. Here’s the full content of this material.
Bohdan PopovDebutant Bohdan Popov brought Palluka’s team its first victory in the championship. After four months of his career, he came on the 28th minute for Shpendi in a match against Padova and immediately scored two goals. The forward, born in 2007, needed just 13 minutes to put his team ahead after the Venetians equalized. And he stunned everyone with his second goal — an impressive header.
This debut will be remembered for another talent discovered by Empoli president Fabrizio Corsi. And it seems Popov has room to grow. Not in height (his height is 193 centimeters), but in technique. After all, Empoli has high hopes for him, just as he has high hopes for the Tuscan club. Yes, because this is a story of survival, refusals, and new embraces.
Popov was born in Ukraine and soon joined the youth academy of Dynamo Kyiv, then in 2022 he moved to the youth academy of the Polish club Górnik. He moved to Poland after Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to the war, which he personally witnessed and which still torments his country.
Having endured intense fear, he made the decision to flee from the bombings, though with sorrow at having to part with loved ones. He arrived in Tuscany, where he settled with a host family in Massa-Carrara, starting a new life while not giving up his passion for football. And, as in a fairy tale, Empoli noticed him through an agent’s recommendation. Therefore, in 2023, the management of the Tuscan club, and above all, President Corsi welcomed him with open arms, spoiled him, helped him develop, and offered him a chance to join the youth team, where he was a key player last season.
The past year has been successful for Popov: besides his success in the Empoli youth team, he got the opportunity to reunite with his family, which was able to come to Italy, partly thanks to the club’s support. Meeting with his mother and brothers was vital for him, especially for the peace of mind necessary for starting in professional football. It’s no coincidence that Palluka decided immediately to recruit the new talent for his team.
Author: Mikela Lanza
