Former midfielder of the Ukrainian national team and «Dynamo» Vitaliy Kosovskyi shared his impressions of the 2026 World Cup playoff draw results, where in the semifinals Serhiy Rebrov’s team will meet the Swedes, and in case of victory, with the winner of the Poland vs. Albania pair.
Vitaliy Kosovskyi
«There can be a long debate about how the draw turned out for the Ukrainian team. I fundamentally will not do this. Firstly, because there are no weak opponents at this stage anymore. Secondly, there is enough time until March next year, and a lot can still happen in terms of personnel. The main thing is not to adapt to the opponent but to try to showcase all our best qualities.
I do not consider the Swedes the favorites of the confrontation, although they are a formidable team. I assess the chances as 50−50. Much will depend on whether our guys can neutralize the Scandinavian forwards Gyökeres and Isak. Caution should also be taken with midfielder Kulusevski, who is currently injured. But I repeat: I do not think the Swedes have anything superior to us in team play. It is important to approach the match in full readiness, and then, as they say, there is always room for a feat in life, and I hope Serhiy Rebrov’s team will not let us down.
As for the final match, it is too early to make any predictions. First, there is the Swedish barrier, although, in my opinion, one should not underestimate the Albanians in the other pair,» Kosovskyi said.
