Euro 2024: Ukraine arrives at Euro 2024 to a patriotic welcome and vivid reminder of the battle at residence

Gamers of Ukraine’s nationwide soccer workforce heat up throughout a public coaching session in Wiesbaden, Germany, on June 13, 2024, forward of their group E match towards Romania on the Euro 2024 soccer event.
| Picture Credit score: AP

With patriotic songs broadcast and hundreds of exiled Ukrainians within the stadium, the boys’s nationwide workforce was made to really feel at residence at its first coaching in Germany for the European Championship.

After the nationwide anthem performed, and earlier than the warmups started, there was a vivid reminder of the battle at residence that may be a fixed and uniting drive for this Ukraine squad.

Every participant had a ball to present to a fan and Oleksandr Zinchenko offered his to a navy veteran who had prosthetic legs beneath every knee.

Close to the downtown stadium of Wehen Wiesbaden is the USA navy headquarters in Germany which is coordinating the supply of weapons and different help from Ukraine’s allies to struggle towards the Russian invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Wiesbaden six months in the past.

It’s a topic the Ukraine workforce needs to deal with, and hopes Euro 2024 watched worldwide will assist placed on middle stage.

“We have to discuss this,” coach Serhiy Rebrov mentioned. “I do know that some persons are drained in regards to the information of the battle however we’re persevering with to struggle and we want your assist.”

“It’s essential that Ukraine is represented within the Euro as a result of we, all Ukrainians, we need to be in (the) European household,” mentioned the previous nationwide workforce star who additionally performed in England and Russia, and coached in Hungary. “On the battle we’re combating for all Europe.”

Zinchenko was within the Ukraine workforce that reached the quarterfinals of Euro 2021, the pandemic-delayed event. That was the final European summer season earlier than the Russians attacked.

This event is “100%” completely different and particular, Zinchenko mentioned.

“There may be nonetheless individuals dying for no purpose and we’ve got to stay collectively,” mentioned the Arsenal participant, stressing that what the gamers have lived via doesn’t examine to fighters on the entrance strains and their households.

“For them it’s tremendous tough, for us it’s clearly additional motivation. Everyone knows who’s behind us. We have to present our greatest efficiency,” Zinchenko mentioned.

Ukraine first performs on Monday towards Romania in Munich. 4 days later, Ukraine performs Slovakia in Duesseldorf then finishes in Group F towards favored Belgium on June 26 in Stuttgart.

Preparation for these video games began in earnest on Thursday morning after a proper welcome on the sector by politicians from the area the place Wiesbaden is the state capital.

The 4,000 followers within the stadium gave standing ovations to greet completely different teams of gamers as they handed by doing mild warmup runs in laps of the sector.

“In Germany, the Ukrainian group is in all places. We have been very proud of all the pieces right here,” mentioned Rebrov, in the future after the squad arrived.

At residence, the nation is beneath fixed risk of Russian bombs focusing on the individuals and important infrastructure for every day life like the ability grid.

“I hope once we play the video games,” midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi mentioned, “individuals in Ukraine have lights to look at the video games on TV.”

For the previous 10 years, Ukrainian champion Shakhtar Donetsk has been unable to play video games in its residence metropolis due to the battle within the nation’s east involving Russian-backed separatists.

Ukraine midfielder Taras Stepanenko has stayed with Shakhtar via the entire decade, together with taking part in Champions League ‘residence’ video games this season in Germany. He mentioned on Thursday, “We should be right here for our individuals.

“Every single day individuals die, cities destroyed. Every single day once we get up, we learn the information about what the state of affairs is in Ukraine,” mentioned the 34-year-old participant showing at his third straight Euros.

“Every single day, I see on my cellphone display screen, messages about air (raids). So each morning I cellphone my mother and father to ask if all the pieces is OK,” Stepanenko added. “We stay on this situation nearly three years. It’s so tough.”