The Ukraine Euro 2020 squad for this summer has been revealed, with Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko and West Ham's Andriy Yarmolenko among the picks.
National hero Andriy Shevchenko is now the national side's manager.
Ukraine Euro 2020 squad
- GK: Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- GK: Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid)
- GK: Heorhiy Bushchan (Dynamo Kiev)
- GK: Anatoliy Trubin (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- DF: Mykola Matviyenko (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- DF: Oleksandr Karavayev (Dynamo Kiev)
- DF: Serhiy Kryvtsov (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- DF: Eduard Sobol (Club Brugge)
- DF: Vitaliy Mykolenko (Dynamo Kiev)
- DF: Illya Zabarnyi (Dynamo Kiev)
- DF: Viktor Korniienko (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- DF: Denys Popov (Dynamo Kiev)
- DF: Oleksandr Tymchyk (Dynamo Kiev)
- DF: Oleksandr Syrota (Dynamo Kiev)
- DF: Bogdan Mykhaylichenko (Anderlecht)
- MF: Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham United)
- MF: Yevhen Konoplyanka (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- MF: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Manchester City)
- MF: Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta)
- MF: Serhiy Sydorchuk (Dynamo Kiev)
- MF: Viktor Kovalenko (Atalanta)
- MF: Marlos (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- MF: Yevhen Makarenko (Kortrijk)
- MF: Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo Kiev)
- MF: Volodymyr Shepelyev (Dynamo Kiev)
- MF: Viktor Tsygankov (Dynamo Kiev)
- MF: Vitaliy Buyalskiy (Dynamo Kyiv)
- MF: Oleksandr Zubkov (Ferencvaros)
- MF: Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- MF: Heorhii Sudakov (Shakhtar Donetsk)
- MF: Oleksandr Andriyevskiy (Dynamo Kiev)
- MF: Bogdan Lednev (Dynamo Kiev)
- MF: Artem Bondarenko (Mariupol)
- FW: Roman Yaremchuk (Gent)
- FW: Artem Dovbyk (SC Dnipro-1)
- FW: Artem Besedin (Dynamo Kiev)
Ukraine Euro 2020 squad: Team profile
Only Oleg Blokhin can rival Andriy Shevchenko as Ukraine’s greatest footballer of all time. Sheva was there for all three of his country’s major tournaments as an independent nation.
In 2006 Shevchenko was among the world’s best players as he fired Ukraine
to the World Cup quarter-finals, before
he postponed retirement in order to lead the co-hosts at Euro 2012 – then bagged
a brilliant brace against Sweden.
Ukraine didn’t survive that group, though, and the same fate befell them four years later in France, when the former Ballon d’Or winner served as Mykhaylo Fomenko’s assistant.
Shevchenko took over as the national team coach immediately after that limp campaign, but there were significant doubts about his abilities. Critics were merciless at times, and following Ukraine’s failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia, there were plenty of calls for him to be sacked. But the former striker stayed to prove them all wrong, and now Ukraine are heading to Euro 2020 with their confidence soaring.
Few expected them to become a force so soon after missing that World Cup, but a country torn apart by a draining civil war is excited about the bold and attractive style their former hero has implemented.
Qualifying handed Sheva’s side a tough draw, but they finished top ahead of Portugal and Serbia, thrashing the latter 5-0 in one of their greatest performances. Ukraine were unbeaten in their eight matches and leaked just four goals.
Politics still plays a significant role, and tensions around the team can be high. Their best defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy has been omitted since his decision to join Zenit in 2019. However, the squad has become more united and coherent than ever. Old hands such as Andriy Pyatov, Andriy Yarmolenko and Taras Stepanenko are supported by Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Viktor Tsyhankov and Viktor Kovalenko.
The past 12 months have been more disappointing, bringing Nations League relegation and a pair of home draws with Kazakhstan and Finland in World Cup qualifying, but Ukraine also held France and beat Spain 1-0 last October.
After a favourable finals draw, an upbeat nation is hoping Sheva & Co make it out of the group. Third time’s the charm, right?
Ukraine Euro 2020 squad: Who is Ukraine's manager?
Andriy Shevchenko
Two years ago, many called for the Ukraine legend to be fired, but Sheva stuck to his principles and his team’s luck turned. Now, he leads his country on the big stage once again – this time as coach.
Ukraine Euro 2020 squad: Who is Ukraine's best player?
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Though Yarmolenko is Ukraine’s most talked-about star, Zinchenko has become integral to this team. A left-back for Manchester City, the 24-year-old is
a central midfield general for his country, making up for his
slight build with quick thinking and precise passing. More than that, he’s a leader.
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