Ukraine celebrate ‘gift for our country’ with Euro 2024 place،
Ukraine's qualification for the Euro 2024 football final has delighted a country suffering from the difficulties of its conflict with Russia and for a few weeks in June and July the tournament will provide a welcome distraction from the harsh reality of the war.
The team came from behind to defeat Iceland 2-1 in their playoff final against neutral Poland on Tuesday and book a fourth straight appearance in the continental finals.
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They will be in Group E with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania, who they will face in their opening match in Munich on June 17.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its third year and, despite heavy losses on both sides, it shows no signs of ending after the February 2022 invasion.
Ukrainian fans displayed yellow and blue banners criticizing Russia, whose team UEFA has banned from trying to qualify, and its president Vladimir Putin at the Wroclaw stadium.
“I am very proud to be Ukrainian, to be of the same blood as those who today give their lives for our freedom,” team captain Oleksandr Zinchenko said after Tuesday's victory.
“We have to talk about it, shout it every day. It's the only way we can win. It was one of our most emotional games.
“It's an incredible feeling. I'm very happy because it's another dream come true. A big thank you to our fans, they have helped us incredibly through these difficult times.”
Coach Serhiy Rebrov said in preparation for the match against Iceland that it was difficult for his team to concentrate on football.
“The missiles are flying every day. Our mission is to show that we are all alive and we are fighting against the Russians and we need support from Europe,” Rebrov said.
He added that his players were “watching the news about the bombing of Odessa and kyiv.” [and made] even more angry and eager to show our potential on the football field.
The coach praised “the character of our players and our nation” to continue in a qualifying campaign where, as refugees from the war, Ukraine hosted “home” matches across Europe.
There is a certain poetic irony in the fact that Poland, where the team's mission was successfully accomplished, currently has the largest concentration of Ukrainian refugees of any country.
The road to the final was certainly not easy.
Rebrov's team came through a tough qualifying group that included European champions Italy and runners-up England, managing draws against both teams.
It follows the disappointment of defeat to Wales in a playoff for a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, after which former Ukraine striker Rebrov took over in June last year.
With Roman Yaremchuk and Artem Dovbyk in attack, the pace of winger Mykhailo Mudryk, the guile of Zinchenko in midfield and the steel of Illia Zabarnyi and Vitalii Mykolenko at the back, Ukraine have a team competent.
What they have proven now is that they can fight against all odds in the face of adversity and achieve victory, hoping that it will become a unifying message for the country.
“It was very difficult to be on the coaching bench today, I saw how difficult it was for the guys,” Rebrov said.
“I am grateful to all of them for this gift to our country. In such difficult times, this is very important.”
Information from Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
