One month before the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Andriy Shevchenko has depicted the consequences of the ongoing conflict on local Football.
The legend of “Zbirna”, at the head of the Ukrainian Federation, revealed that “more than 200” people closely linked to football have died since 2022.
Follow the full coverage
Ukraine: almost three years of war
A sad birthday. February 24, 2025 will be 1096 days, or three years (new window)that Russia invaded Ukraine. Three years after the start of the war, Ukrainian football is still in resistance. On and off the field, despite a “extremely difficult situation”according to the local legend Andriy Shevchenko (new window)top scorer in the history of Collective (48 goals in 111 matches).
Shut down from April to August 2022 (new window)Ukrainian football, which witnessed the disappearance of FC Mariupol (new window)club located in the martyr city (new window) fallen under the firepower of Vladimir Putin, is fighting to survive. “Matches take place under strict security protocols, often behind closed doors and in regions where the risk is minimal”explained the president of the Federation in an interview granted, Thursday January 2, to the Italian daily The Messenger (new window).
Football is not just a sport: it is a symbol of hope and resistance
Andriy Shevchenko, President of the Football Federation of Ukraine
-“Our clubs and national teams participate in national or international tournaments”highlighted the 2004 Ballon d'Or. And this despite logistical constraints. Uprooted since 2014, due to the war in Donbass, Shakhtar Donetsk plays its “home” championship matches in Lviv and its Champions League matches in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Dynamo kyiv, the other Ukrainian giant, plays its Europa League team against Hamburg. At the same time, the national selection participated in the last Euro.
“For us, football is not just a sport: it is a symbol of hope and resistance”he said, echoing the participation of the national team in Euro 2024. “The Ukrainian FA is doing everything possible to support players, coaches and fans to ensure that football thrives even in these difficult times.”
-
Read also
kyiv will do everything in 2025 to “stop Russia”, according to Volodymyr Zelensky
A way also to honor the memory of those who fell for Ukraine. “We have already confirmed that more than 200 members of the football community have lost their lives since the start of this large-scale war”revealed Andriy Shevchenko. “This includes players, coaches and other sports professionals, and this number continues to grow.” In 2023, kyiv had more than 230 deaths among athletes, coaches and support staff in all sports.
Related News :