Oleksandr Zinchenko: "We have a dream - to go to the World Cup and give emotions to Ukrainians in this difficult time"

31.05.2022 22:18

Photo of UAF press service

Midfielder of the national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Zinchenko shared his thoughts on the eve of the match with Scotland.

Yesterday blue and yellow arrived in Glasgow, where on June 1 the play-off match of the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Scotland will be held (starting at 21.45 pm Kyiv). On the eve of the crucial game, participate in a press conference with the head coach Oleksandr Petrakov took the midfielder of the national team of Ukraine Oleksandr Zinchenko.

— How do you feel on the eve of tomorrow's match?

- First of all, I would like to thank the Scottish Football Association, their national team, coaching staff and footballers for all the support and assistance provided to the Ukrainian people. I talked to several players of the Scottish national team. I am very grateful to them for their support.

The mood is fighting. Each of the players understands the situation in our country. I want to assure everyone that tomorrow everyone will be taught not one hundred percent, but all two hundred.

— Tomorrow, before the match, fans will be issued special leaflets with the National Anthem of Ukraine so that the Scots can perform it together with the Ukrainians. How do you perceive such an initiative?

- I take it very well. Thanks again to all of Scotland for their support and assistance to Ukraine. I take this initiative very well, because we must be together in this situation. We must defeat Russian aggression and stop this war.

— What are your feelings after the beginning of the Russian aggression?

- You can ask any Ukrainian - the answer will be the same. It is impossible to describe the feeling if you do not experience it. The things that are happening in our country now are something that cannot be described. That is why we must stop this aggression together. We must win, because Ukraine is a country of freedom, it never gives up. Perhaps many countries do not understand that today is Ukraine, and tomorrow they may be. That is why we must be united and together defeat Russian aggression.

— When the war broke out in Ukraine, did you want to return home or stay in Manchester and help your country on the ground?

- In general, I held a weapon in my hands several times in my life. I will be more useful to Ukraine by staying in England, helping with some humanitarian things, giving interviews or writing on social networks. I have to share this, to show the truth about what is happening in Ukraine now. In this I agree with what Andriy Shevchenko said.

— How special will the match against Scotland be? What does it matter?

- Every Ukrainian has a main dream - to stop the war. I talked to different people from different countries, I talked to young Ukrainian children. They don't understand anything, but they say one thing. They dream that the war is over. But when it comes to football, we also have a dream - to go to the World Cup and give these emotions to Ukrainians in this difficult time, because they deserve it.

I am sure that the whole of Ukraine will be watching us. We will feel her support. We can talk a lot, but we need to prove everything on the field. Tomorrow we will try to make our people happy and proud.