Ukrainian coach Mykola Tsymbal shared his impressions about the 2026 World Cup qualifying match between France and Ukraine, which ended in Paris with the hosts' victory — 4:0.
Serhiy Rebrov— In general, it was clear that nothing «shone» for us in Paris. To me, the French national team is currently the strongest in the world in positional play. It seems that they have no weak spots, look at their elegant ball handling, their exquisite combinations; literally, every field player can pose a threat. Of course, the French far exceeded the Ukrainians in terms of game specifications.
— Do you think that under such circumstances, the Ukrainian coach Serhiy Rebrov was doing everything right?
— Yes, salvation lay in playing as the second number, but I didn’t think the guests would push so much towards their goal. I expected more aggression from them in the mid-block, bolder breakaways. It was good that in the first half, our goalkeeper Trubin was at his best, and the hosts did not rush events, playing not at full speed, because they were confident they wouldn’t miss their shot.
— Did the experimental lineup that took to the field in Paris surprise you?
— You know, it was Rebrov’s choice because to discuss this topic, you need comprehensive information about what is happening inside the team. And only the final match in Warsaw against Icelanders will provide an answer to what kind of strategist Rebrov is. If we win on Sunday, everyone will say he did everything right, trusting a group of rotation players in Paris; otherwise, he will be in a tough spot.
— Paying tribute to the mastery of the French, could our team have competed against them in a fighting lineup?
— I have no doubt that the host’s advantage would not have been so total. However, the chances of even a draw would have been very little. The thing is, the French lineup includes many players who can decide the match on their own. And this is despite the fact that they played without a few leaders.
— Can you single out anyone from our team?
— Goalkeeper Trubin and midfielder Yarmolyuk, but if desired, there are questions for them too.
— How much will the starting lineup of the Ukrainian national team change in Sunday’s match against Icelanders?
— I think we should expect the appearance of 7−8 new performers, primarily in the defensive line. After all, there may still be losses due to injuries and colds.
— Could the fact that our Icelandic opponents had to spend a lot of time flying to Azerbaijan and back to Poland play into the Ukrainians' hands?
— I don’t think so; both teams will be in roughly equal conditions. Moreover, the victory in Baku inspired the Icelanders.
— To continue fighting in the playoffs, the Ukrainians absolutely need to win on Sunday. But, as they say, in head-to-head matches in recent years, it has been far from always successful for them.
— In Warsaw, a lot will depend on the psychological factor. There will be a lot of fighting, few goals scored. Still, our team’s individual mastery is higher, and they will have the support of the 12th player. Therefore, I am optimistic.
Andriy Pysarenko
