The UAF press service has published a video of Ukraine’s national team head coach Serhiy Rebrov’s address to his players in the locker room immediately after the end of the final match of the 6th round of the World Cup 2026 qualifying stage against Iceland (2:0), the result of which ensured the «blue-and-yellow» a spot in the playoffs.
Serhiy Rebrov„Mykola (apparently referring to Mykola Matviyenko, who was the captain of Ukraine’s national team in this match), entering the locker room, said: 'This is a team'. I think it’s important. We can lose, we can win. But today we had a team. You fought today.
I am grateful to each of you. If Tolya (Anatoliy Trubin) hadn’t saved that ball today, we don’t know what would have been. If in the last 10 minutes we hadn’t attacked like that, we don’t know what would have been.
For me, it’s very important that today, from the first to the last minute, we were a team. You really worked for Ukraine. Thank you so much!
I would like to say one thing. You know, earlier, when I was a coach at Dynamo and other teams, I would tell the players: 'Think, maybe you can recover from your injuries in the national team if you got them with the club'. But now are different times — now for you, I am sure, it is very important to get a call-up to the national team — to go and fight for our country.
So I want to ask you. It is very important that you prepare in your clubs. Now we have two very important playoff matches for the World Cup. You did a very good job, but we have one more step. To take this step, prepare yourself in your clubs. I am very grateful to you, you’re doing great!,” said Rebrov, concluding his address with applause.
