The legend of Lviv’s 'Karpaty', Ihor Khudobiak, shared his view on the optimal lineup for the Ukrainian national team in the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Ihor Khudobiak— Karavaev deserved a call-up to the national team. He has performed quite well in recent matches, showed effective actions, and is in good form now. In defense, in my opinion, there are three obvious candidates for the starting lineup — Mykolenko on the left, Matvienko and Zabarnyi in the center. On the right, there is a certain issue, but I think the choice will be between Konoplia and Karavaev.
The midfield line will depend on the specific opponent — the matches against France and Iceland will be different. The coaching staff will select the lineup based on what they want to achieve from each game. I believe Yarmolenko also deserved a call-up to the national team, but this is the coach’s decision.
As for the forwards, the situation is similar to that with midfielders. Everything will depend on the opponent and the tactical plan for the match. The coaches will determine who is more suitable: the faster Vanat, the bigger and more powerful Dovbyk, or possibly Yaremchuk, — said Khudobiak.
