Former coach of Kharkiv’s “Metalist 1925” Edmar shared his thoughts on Ukraine’s two opening matches in the World Cup 2026 qualifying tournament — against France (0:2) and Azerbaijan (1:1).
Edmar. Photo — FC “Metalist 1925”— Did you watch the last two matches of the Ukrainian national team?
— Yes, I did. You know, it’s the same story I said when they played against Belgium (in March, in the Nations League playoffs, - ed.). If they had won, everyone would say it was due to the correct tactics. With the opposite result, however, it’s never the same, they always look for reasons.
But I will always support the coach. Do you know why? I want to be understood. We all know how successful a player and club coach Rebrov is. So, the main thing is to believe and have patience. And in football, people don’t always want to wait — they want everything immediately, but that’s very difficult. That’s why I support him always because I know how hard it is. I think a lot depends on the interaction between coaches and players.
— I think you understand how upset the fans are about the draw with Azerbaijan, and they have almost given up on the chances of advancing from the group. How do you assess the tournament prospects of the Ukrainian national team?
— Remember how no one believed we would reach the playoffs for the 2014 World Cup? When we drew with Moldova and lost to Montenegro. And then we beat everyone except England, which we drew with — and went to the playoffs against France. In football, anything is possible; the main thing is to believe in yourself and have support. It’s always easy to criticize.
Vadim Takhtyryn
