Sergiy Sydorchuk and Ukraine play for the soldiers at the front: “I saw a nineteen-year-old footballer who lost his legs”

How would you describe your team?

“Strong, already (laughs). We have a lot of young players who almost all play abroad because of the war but also because of their talent. The new generation is really talented. But we know that that’s not everything at the Euro. We will have to be good together to surprise. The collective must take precedence over individualities.”

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Your last matches showed that you were better at blocking than in possession…

“It’s true. And this is explained by our ability to adapt. We can go to three at the back, two at the front. We also have Zinchenko who can play in the middle from his back position. We have something to surprise and annoy teams with our defense.”

What are your goals ?

“We need to think about getting out of the group first.”

You qualified via the play-offs but playing in Germany, isn’t that a shame?

“We are lucky to have a lot of compatriots in Germany and the support was huge. We all want to play at home again one day but it won’t be right away. My dream as a player is to experience my last professional match in the Olympic Stadium in kyiv. I hope I can do that again.”

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Isn’t this generation reaching its peak?

“Let’s say there is still a bit of room because we have a lot of young talent like our central defender Zabarnyi who has played almost everything for Bournemouth this season. He is perhaps one of the best young defenders in the world. I don’t see the limit of guys like Mudryk, Shaparenko, Dobvyk or Sudakov.”

How do you define Rebrov’s coaching style?

“I knew him at Dynamo kyiv. He hasn’t changed: he only thinks about football. He watches lots of matches to get inspired and stay up to date on the latest trends. His strength is always wanting to learn. We won a series of trophies under his orders in kyiv (Editor’s note: two titles and two Cups). Everywhere he went, he won trophies. He looks like a professor and is very educational.”

You are the third most capped Ukrainian. What is your role in this group?

“I tell myself that this may be my last big tournament. I know my role is to help. I am also part of the group of captains.”

Is it true that you are relieved to only face Belgium in the last match because you fear this team?

“It’s not a question of fear but we respect this team.”

Which players impress you?

“Tielemans had a great season, De Bruyne and Doku, I don’t even need to talk about them. OK, there’s no Courtois, that’s not good news for you. (He pauses). And I almost forget Lukaku who I played against when he was at Everton. It was so hard. I had to come and help my central defender. He pushed our two defenders to score his goal (laughs). ”

If you are on the ground, it will be in De Bruyne’s zone…

“I think he is the best attacking midfielder in the world. He has everything. Not just in his feet but also in his vision of the game.”

The ex-Red Devil you know best is your teammate Nacer Chadli. Did you know that he scored one of the most important goals in our history?

“Oh no, he doesn’t talk about it. (We tell him about the goal against Japan). So I understand that he is a legend (laughs). I’m disappointed for him that he had so many injuries. He couldn’t show all his qualities with us. His true level is so high. He’s so technical for a guy his size.”

You say you want to play again at the kyiv stadium, does that mean returning to play in your championship?

“I think Westerlo will be my last stop. You never know but it will be difficult to come back to Ukraine if it is not to Dynamo kyiv.”

How is the competition going in Ukraine despite everything that is happening in the country?

“It’s almost back to normal. The matches were relocated to the west of the country or to kyiv. The big change is mental because you always have doubt about what could happen. The competition is also less strong than before because many players have left the country. The advantage of only playing with Ukrainian players is that the level is more equal than before and the championship is more competitive. I am one of those who left. I made this choice because when the conflict broke out, I was playing in kyiv. My family left the country and I didn’t see my wife and four children for almost a year. They lived in Warsaw and joined me when I arrived in Belgium. I came to Westerlo so that my children could have a normal childhood. This is not possible in Ukraine. ”

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What if everything returns to normal?

“I will go home. ”

Were you surprised to see Yarmolenko return to play in the country?

“We have been friends for over ten years; so he talked to me about it before making his decision. For Ukrainian football, he is a symbol. When he returned, he sent the message that Ukrainian football was still alive. His return was a strong message.”

Speaking of strong messages, boxer Oleksandr Usyk has become an important figure by always having a thought for your country when he speaks in the media…

“It’s important that every successful Ukrainian talks about the country. The war is only 1000 kilometers from us. We must understand it. When Usyk says something, you have to listen to him. I saw his last fight with my wife even though it was during the night. She screamed, cried. That meant a lot to him.”

Doesn’t he have a footballing background?

“He is still officially under contract with Polissya. He could be fielded in a match. He dreams of playing against Dynamo at the Olympic stadium. His style ? He’s a great ‘Denkey’ striker (laughs). He received good training in Crimea but chose boxing. Polissya’s owner is a great friend of his. They are like father and son. ”

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What will be the key to Ukraine’s success in this tournament?

“We will have to remember what is happening in our country. Our team would never have imagined a good two years ago what was going to happen to us. Russia has crushed all our dreams. We haven’t played football for more than six months and here we are at the Euro. This is a huge opportunity for our team to show off. Especially for our talented guys who are still playing in the country.”

Do you receive a lot of messages from compatriots who encourage you to succeed in your Euro?

“When I played for Dynamo kyiv and we started the qualifying campaign, we played for those who loved football, for the federation, etc. Then I went to an army hospital. I met some soldiers there who had gone to the front. They asked me lots of questions about football, telling me that they continued to support us despite everything. I asked them ‘do you really watch my matches?’ They told me it was the only thing that allowed them to return to normal life. My state of mind changed suddenly. Football is more important to them than to me. I think of these people when I play, to give them 90 minutes of normality. It’s more than just football.”

Can you explain the reasons for your visit to this hospital?

“I wanted to go support these men who defend us. I have seen soldiers without hands or legs. There was even a nineteen-year-old footballer who wanted to make a career. The war took both of his legs. The least I can do is thank them and support them. There were so many injured soldiers in this hospital. We can’t imagine what happens in war.”

Do you plan to return to Ukraine after the tournament?

“Yes, that’s the point of coming back to see my family. My grandmother lives very close to where the Russian army is based. I’m also going to visit some Dynamo kyiv ultras. Many of them left to fight. I try to help them from a distance, in particular by sending money or materials.”

Is it difficult to experience all this while living far away?

“I am everything that happens. I get so many alerts on my phone talking about the war. Every time, I have a knot in my stomach.”

Are you finding it difficult to concentrate on football in these circumstances?

“When you’re on the ground, far from the country, you don’t think about it. When I play for the national team, we play another sport. And, there, it is sometimes more difficult to only think about football. ”