Former midfielder of Kyiv "Dynamo" Ivan Yaremchuk commented on the results of the Ukrainian national team in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers in September.
— What are your impressions of the match against the Azerbaijanis?
— What can I say… First of all, the field seemed small to me. It’s like a “little tangle,” where it’s hard to play and show anything technically. And secondly… it’s all clear.
— What do you mean?
— I watched another match in our group, where France played against Iceland. Iceland played well. They may have lost, but they showed a good game and character. They scored first, and overall the game was equal. Iceland fought until the very final whistle. France, however, is individually strong: they scored goals and won. But no matter what, I think our national team will find it hard against the Icelanders. The match in Reykjavik will be our last chance, as no result other than a victory will satisfy us. Even a draw would mean the islanders would have 5 points, while we would have only 2. And then what?
— The match in Baku was very important from a tournament perspective. And psychologically as well.
— Undoubtedly. A draw was not acceptable for our team. To feel confident and continue fighting for a chance to qualify for the World Cup, we needed only a victory.
— What, in your opinion, prevented that victory?
— What, did we have any combinations or dangerous moments? Or maybe shots on goal? Well, the first one was successful: after a run down the left flank, there was a good pass along the penalty area, and Sudakov, making a decisive move, directed the ball into the corner — and that was it. That episode stuck in my mind. There was nothing else like it. Only towards the end of the match did our team monotonously deliver the ball into the opponent’s penalty area, but nothing came of it. And then Zinchenko managed to carelessly play with his hand near our own goal, earning a penalty… What can be said here? Only that our national team, just like our clubs, is not ready for competition in Europe. Whether in club tournaments or at the national level.
— What did you primarily notice in the game of our main team?
— There are no flanks. They’re not working. There’s no quick transition from defense to attack. It’s unlike before, when defenders joined in, there was interchange, a majority was created, chances appeared near the goal, there were shots and goals. There was dynamics. And now, unfortunately, that’s not the case. There’s a lack of performers. Take the attacking game. The defenders swarm around Dovbyk and don’t allow him to receive the ball or turn around. Of course, he can’t do anything like that. He needs to open up in spaces, receive the ball at speed, and beat opponents quickly, earn free kicks and penalties. How else could it be? After all, in stationary football, no one will allow him to do that. And also, the midfielders are afraid to take on the opponent one-on-one. Everything is through passing and passing! Just look at how Messi receives the ball and beats opponents at speed. And it’s not just him, but any other top player — like Ronaldo! They don’t receive the ball standing still and then start moving. Most of the time it happens in dynamics. Well, the level of skill is different, and we see how true personalities play. You need to act in different ways, not just haphazardly. What else can be said…
— After yesterday’s draw, a huge wave of criticism was directed at the Ukrainian national team. What do you think about that?
— When there’s no result, everyone wants the head coach to be dismissed. Who wants to change the coach when there’s a result, and the team is playing well, when everything is fine? But when things aren’t going well, criticism arises that there’s no game and no points. It’s obvious that so far we are not fulfilling the task at hand. Whether Rebrov will work or someone else, I don’t think anything will change. It’s the players who play on the field, not the coaches. A coach can explain and show how to play against a particular opponent. He might say it right, understanding all the nuances as a former player, as a mentor. But on the field, there are players who make decisions in split seconds, depending on the situation. Just tell me: what prevented us from scoring against the French national team in the opening match when the ball hit the post? A bit more accuracy — and that’s it! Sudakov scored against Azerbaijan, but unfortunately, we couldn’t hold onto the winning score.
Vyacheslav Kulchytsky