Midfielder of Kyiv "Dynamo" and the Ukrainian national team Mykola Shaparenko shared his expectations for the World Cup 2026 qualifying match against France, which will take place today in Wrocław, during a live broadcast on the YouTube channel "Vzbіrna".
— Now the national team will play against France. Do you have pleasant memories associated with this team?
— We have lost to them with a large score, played draws, and showed good games against them. But that is all forgotten now. There is a future, and we have to prove what will come next.
— So you’ve forgotten your fantastic goal against Lloris? (World Cup 2022 qualifying match, Ukraine — France — 1:1, 0 editor’s note.)?
— I haven’t forgotten, but that’s in the past and we need to forget such things.
— That was possibly the best goal of your career?
— Well, one of the best.
— After that goal, you had tears. What are your emotions now?
— None. It’s just very nice that it was my first goal for the national team, which is why I had those emotions, but now there’s nothing. It’s very nice to recall when I sometimes come across a video of that goal, but that’s just nice.
— You have been named "Man of the Match" twice in games against the French. What’s your secret?
— There’s no secret. It just happened that way. I don’t know.
— Which French national team is stronger: the one from 2021 or the one currently?
— Both are strong. Back then and now, there are very top players in the squad. Many players are from PSG. PSG is now probably one of the best clubs in the world. And in general, the French national team is gathered with all the best players in the world, so it’s a top national team.
— We have our own person in PSG — Illia Zabarnyi. Did he tell you how to play against whom to perform successfully?
— He might give advice later, I think. But he hasn’t talked about that yet. We just chatted about how things are going for him at PSG, and that’s all, nothing more. I think he’ll advise me on how to play later.
— If you compare the current Ukrainian national team with the one that last played against France, which one is stronger?
— Both were good teams, and now it’s also a good team. Now more players are playing abroad. I think that with each passing year our national team will become stronger and stronger.
— How have you changed as a player and a person since that time?
— I haven’t changed at all. I don’t know...
— Do you feel more comfortable playing against teams that give space, like France, or against those that play defensively, like Azerbaijan is likely to do?
— I wouldn’t say Azerbaijan will play defensively. They will be playing at home, and their fans will push them forward. But it’s more pleasant to play when both teams show open football.
— What do you think could be the main strength of the Ukrainian national team in confrontation with France?
— Well, firstly, it’s compactness, so that everyone works together in defense, plays compactly, and just believes in themselves that we can play on par with such a France. And that’s basically it.
— If you could steal one player from the French national team for our team for this match, who would you take?
— Mbappé.
— And if not him?
— Borko.
— Why?
— I really like how he plays. Very fast, technical.
— Fans are concerned about your well-being: you missed the match against "Polissya".
— The main thing is that the team won.
— How would you assess your form?
— Hard, hard, but it’s okay, we’ll get back into it.
— If you were offered that you’d again become "Man of the Match" in the match against France, but the game ends in a draw, 0:0. Would you agree?
— No, only victory!