Former midfielder of the Ukrainian national team Yevhen Levchenko shared his thoughts on the October matches of the Ukrainian national team in the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament (Iceland — Ukraine — 3:5, Ukraine — Azerbaijan — 2:1).
Yevhen Levchenko— Yevhen, do Ukraine’s two victories in October outweigh the problems in the team’s play?
— The results may somewhat reduce the criticism, but the problems in our play haven’t disappeared. If we look at how difficult the games were against Iceland and Azerbaijan, we managed to score almost everything we created. There are many questions left by the lack of clear understanding of what we are playing for. There is a lack of resilience somewhere, a lack of logic in decision-making.
You can’t get far on euphoria. After the 3:3 in Reykjavik, I already thought it was over for us. Fortunately, the guys showed that they know how to pull such games in their favor.
— Is Malinovskyi’s comeback the highlight of October?
— It was noticeable that Ruslan came out to play with a desire to fight for Ukraine. He took on leadership. I’m very happy that he returned after a serious injury and an unremarkable period at Genoa. Malyna showed that he is in full order.
When you have players who can decide an episode at any moment, it plays a huge role. When your team has guys of the caliber of Malinovskyi, Zinchenko, Mykolenko, Yaremchuk, who know what it takes to reach major tournaments. These players can help the coach in achieving the result.
— Did it really need Sudakov’s injury for newcomers to get their chance?
— We saw Voloshyn in action, who gave his all in both matches. Veletniy got his first minutes, doing well in the UPL. Same for Ocherechko. After these matches, it became clear that the guys can be trusted in critical moments. We need such players, not just in the background. Having a solid core is great, but the factor of a long bench is just as important.
— Isn’t there a fear of responsibility on Rebrov’s team’s shoulders?
— I don’t agree that Rebrov is afraid of responsibility. A lot depends on how well the coaches manage to control the dressing room. Responsibility also lies with the players, who carry out the coach’s instructions. If this doesn’t work, questions arise for the coach. Gossiping without facts is an ungrateful task. We don’t know the whole picture.
— Was there anything similar in your time with the national team?
— The overall game plan was accepted by everyone. Among ourselves, we could discuss details, how best to interact in different phases. Communication is a usual thing when you need to react in time when something might go off-plan.
— Ukraine’s fate will be decided in November. What are your expectations for the games with France and Iceland?
— I saw scenarios where we can surpass France and get a direct ticket to the World Cup, but it could become a serious test for the guys who cannot boast stability. Objectively evaluating, our key game is with Iceland. Clinging to the Stade de France and, ultimately, ending up with nothing could cost us resources in terms of recovery.
We can’t afford to shuffle a roster of 50+ players like Deschamps does. It’s hard to hope that Azerbaijan can return the favor for the defeat against Iceland in Baku (0:5), especially considering the momentum Iceland is in now. I know how much they’ve invested in infrastructure post-2016. They’ve built fields and halls. They’ve selected highly qualified children’s coaches. It’s great and could serve as an example for the UAF, from whom experience can be borrowed.
