2022: the most important events of the year in Ukrainian football

The passing year will go down in the history of Ukrainian football as one that fell during a full-scale war. Despite the hostilities, Ukrainian players, coaches and officials managed to bring many happy moments to the fans. So let's recall the most important events of 2022.

Restoration of the championship of Ukraine in the conditions of war

On February 24, 2022, a full-scale Russian invasion began, and at the same time, the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people against the invader. As our indomitable Ukraine endured, so did Ukrainian football.

With the joint efforts, in close cooperation of the UAF, UPL, PFL and clubs and with the support of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, football life in our state managed to revive. These are the competitions of adult and youth (U-19) UPL teams, the first and second leagues of the PFL, the top and first leagues among women's teams, competitions among amateurs and the DUFL Cup.

Photo of UAF press service

The high bar of Kateryna Monzul

Kateryna Monzul took second place in the IFFHS survey, which determined the best female referees in the world in 2022. She worked on matches of the Ukrainian Vbet League, Women's Euro 2022, where, in particular, she served the final between England and Germany, matches of the UEFA Nations League, Conference League, selection of the Women's World Cup 2023, Women's Champions League, Women's Serie A.

Photo by uefa.com

Successes of beach soccer teams

In Catania, Sicily men's national team of Ukraine participated in the European selection for the 2023 World Beach Games. Taking third place, the blue-yellow team secured a ticket to the tournament in Bali, Indonesia. In addition, the wards of Mykola Kostenko won a ticket to the 2023 European Games in Krakow, becoming fifth in the EuroLeague 2022.

On the women's national team of Ukraine this year, a historic event awaited her - participation in the first ever women's Mundialito, where she ended up taking the third place. Like the men's national team, Yuriy Klymenko's wards made it to the 2023 World Beach Games, reaching the final of the European selection, and to the 2023 European Games, taking fourth place in the 2022 Euroleague.

Photo by beachsoccer.com

Achievements of young futsal players

At the second European Futsal Championship in history (U-19) the youth national team of Ukraine performed. In the final tournament, the blue-yellow team took fourth place. We would like to add that in the summer our team took second place at the international tournament in Poreč, Croatia, and won the Visegrad Cup 2022 in December.

In addition, in the summer, the men's student futsal team of Ukraine became the silver medalist of the 2022 World Championship in Portugal. And the women's national team of KhNEU named after S. A. Kuznets won silver awards at the European Futsal Championship among institutions of higher education, which was held in Lodz, Poland.

Photo by uefa.com

Ukrainian futsal players are bronze medalists of Euro-2022

Because of the war, the players women's futsal team of Ukraine were forced to continue their career in foreign clubs and on the eve of Euro-2022 held a month-long training session abroad. At the continental championship in Gondomar, Portugal, which was postponed due to the Russian invasion to July, the blue and yellow team won a historic bronze. Subsequently, Oleh Shaitanov's wards made it to the third out of three European Women's Championships, which will be hosted by Hungarian Debrecen in March next year.

Photo by uefa.com

The national futsal team is in the top 4 of the strongest teams in Europe

From the sixth attempt Ukrainian futsal team managed to finally overcome the quarter-final stage at the European Championships and took fourth place at Euro-2022. In autumn, Oleksandr Kosenko's wards won the Three Nations Cup, and also won three victories in the main qualification round of the World Cup-2024. Currently, the blue and yellow are confidently leading the group and have excellent chances to get to the elite round of selection.

Photo by uefa.com

The youth national teams of Ukraine made it to the elite round of Euro-2023 selection from the first places

In autumn, Yuriy Moroz's wards became the winners of their groups in the main round of Euro-2023 selection (U-17 national team, players born in 2006) and Serhiy Nagornyak (U-19 national team, players born in 2004). At the same time, the Ukrainian boys made it to the elite round, having a lack of game practice due to Russian aggression.

Photo of UAF press service

The youth national team of Ukraine qualified for Euro 2023 (U-21)

Youth team of Ukraine will play in the final tournament of the European Championship for the third time in its history! In their group, the blue-yellow team took the second place, letting only the French go ahead, after which they won a bright victory over the Slovaks in the playoffs. The positive solution to the tournament task speaks for itself, but it is also important that Ruslan Rotan's wards demonstrated interesting football, rich in goals.

Photo of UAF press service

The women's national team as an example of support for Ukraine in the international arena

After the start of a full-scale Russian invasion, many players of our women's national team were forced to move to foreign clubs, but did not forget about supporting Ukraine, holding actions and providing humanitarian aid.

In particular, our girls supported campaign "Ukraine is Europe!", Nikol Kozlova helped with the organization of the collection of humanitarian aid in Denmark, didn't stay aside, the head coach of the blue and yellow team, Luis Cortes. Players of the national women's team went out at matches of their foreign clubs with Ukrainian flags.

Photo of UAF press service

The national team of Ukraine is a symbol of the struggle of our people

Despite the wartime, Oleksandr Petrakov's wards managed to perform in official tournaments, gaining wide international support. Ukrainian national team played in the 2022 World Cup and 2022/2023 Nations League play-offs. The blue-yellow team also held charity matches in support of the restoration of Ukraine and brought joy to the people who, in turn, brought Ukrainian symbols to the stadiums, reminding us of the will of our people to win.

Photo of UAF press service

Ukraine's application for the 2030 WC

An equally important issue today is preparation Applications to hold the 2030 WC together with Spain and Portugal. Ukraine gets a chance to become the host of the main football tournament of the planet for the first time in history. "We continue active interaction in this direction with our Spanish and Portuguese colleagues," — noted one of the initiators of the application, President of the UAF, member of the UEFA Executive Committee Andriy Pavelko.

Photo by uefa.com

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