FlashFocus: Despite golden generation emerging, Ukraine have yet to reach potential
Finishing in the group stage of this year's Euros was disappointing for Ukraine. The team, packed with young stars and complemented by experienced leaders, failed to live up to high expectations. Although they earned four points in a group with Romania, Belgium and Slovakia, they finished in last place, making them the unluckiest team to drop out of this year's tournament.
The last time the national team made the fans proud was three years ago. They reached the quarter-finals at the European Championship under the leadership of the greatest legend of Ukrainian football Andriy Shevchenko, but since then Ukraine's results have gone downhill. Shevchenko retired as a coach after a successful Euros, and another legend of the previous generation - Sergiy Rebrov - sat on the bench after the failed tenure of Oleksandr Petrakov.
After a year on the bench and an unsuccessful Euros, he still has the confidence of the Ukrainian football management and will lead the national team in the ongoing edition of the Nations League. Rebrov's confidence was given by the committee of the Ukrainian Football Association, which has been chaired since the beginning of this year by the coach's long-time teammate and friend, the aforementioned Shevchenko. The period of advocacy, however, may not be long. Ukraine is the favourite in their group in the Nations League and results are already expected from a strong team.
A squad brimming with talent
Rebrov has embarked on a non-aggressive transformation of the squad since taking up his post. A number of young players were already in the process of being integrated into the national team, so only a handful of former mainstays did not survive his arrival. The most notable names to drop out of the regular roster are Ukrainian league players Oleksandr Karavaev of Dynamo Kyiv and Oleksandr Zubkov of Shakhtar Donetsk.
Players from the domestic league are generally fewer in the national squad. One factor is undoubtedly the armed conflict in Ukraine, which is pushing previously comfortable stars in the domestic league to move abroad. The other was the corruption case of former association chairman Andriy Pavelko, after which Shevchenko stepped into his important post. In general, talented Ukrainian footballers are leaving at a young age for Western European leagues, where they have so far been successful.
Players from the biggest European leagues are the backbone of Rebrov's team. We can start in goal. There, two young talented goalkeepers are fighting for the number one position. Until recently, Andriy Lunin, who took advantage of the goalkeeping crisis at Real Madrid and played a significant part of last season, had the advantage. But now he is once again filling the role of substitute and probably has to get used to it in the national team as well.
At the Euros, Lunin was replaced by Benfica goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin after the first bad game against Romania. Since Trubin is now playing for his club, unlike Lunin, he can be expected to keep his place in the national team as well.
25-year-old Lunin and 23-year-old Trubin are members of a strong Ukrainian generation pioneered in the West by Oleksandr Zinchenko. The 27-year-old left-back (or central midfielder) spent five years at Manchester City, with whom he won four English titles. He now plays for Arsenal, where he is an important member of Mikel Arteta's squad.
Zinchenko is an established name in European football. In recent years he has begun to be complemented or even overshadowed by a number of his compatriots. The transfer of Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk to Chelsea last January caused a big stir. Mudryk became one of the most expensive signings in the London club's history, and although he has so far fallen short of expectations, his talent is unquestionable.
Rounding out the parade of the biggest and most talented stars are the duo of Viktor Tsygankov and Artem Dovbyk, once both of Girona. While the former will play in the Champions League for the Catalan side after a successful season, Dovbyk's topping of the LaLiga scoring charts earned him a summer transfer to AS Roma. In short, the Ukrainian national team unquestionably possesses quality. So why don't the results match that?
A league (understandably) in decline
The aforementioned ongoing war on the territory of Ukraine complicates the daily life of Ukrainian citizens, so it is no wonder that it has also affected the quality of domestic football competitions.
Traditionally, Ukraine has benefited from the interplay of Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv players in the national team, but in the current situation, players from these teams tend to complement the more prominent names. The only youngster from the league making a regular appearance in the national team's starting line-up is Heorhii Sudakov.
Otherwise, the league is represented in the national team squad mainly by experienced pros led by Taras Stepanenko and Andriy Yarmolenko. In the centre of defence, it is still important to mention Mykola Matvienko from Shakhtar Donetsk. There has been interest in his services from the big leagues, but the 28-year-old defender remains loyal to the club that brought him through in football.
The selection for the upcoming Nations League matches against Albania and the Czech Republic includes 14 names from the Ukrainian top flight. However, apart from the mentioned cases, they mostly play the role of substitutes and this should not change in the September fixtures.
Rebrov retains trust in regulars
In a way, Ukraine were unlucky at the Euros. To not advance out of the group with four points is unique in the current tournament format. Yet their performance did not confirm that this somewhat golden generation was playing to their potential.
In particular, the first match against Romania, which they lost 3-0, was a disaster. Ukraine then confirmed their role as the favourite against Slovakia, but it was Roman Yaremchuk who saved his side in the 2-1 win with 10 minutes left in regulation time. The subsequent goalless draw against Belgium showed the potential of Rebrov's team. However, that potential remains unfulfilled.
Indeed, Rebrov doesn't have a huge pool to choose from. Ukraine has star players, but cannot fully replace them in case of absences or declines in form. It is the breadth of the selection that is the biggest problem for the national team boss and so, despite the failed summer, the squad for the first Nations League matches does not differ much from the Euros. Dovbyk, however, has pulled out of the squad due to an injury.
On Saturday, September 7th, Ukraine will play their home game against Albania in Prague, Czechia. Just three days later, they will play against the Czech Republic in Prague again. With back-to-back matches in the same city, it's a good chance for Rebrov's Ukraine to start demonstrating to the world just how good they can be.