Andriy Shevchenko spoke with the Ukrainian U-17 national team, which qualified for Euro-2024

16.03.2024 09:00

Photo of UAF press service

On March 15, UAF President Andriy Shevchenko talked with the players and coaches of the Ukrainian U-17 national team.

This team won a ticket to Euro-2024, which will be held in Cyprus in May-June. But many performers called up are playing abroad and from Greece, where the matches of the elite round of selection took place, immediately returned to their clubs. Therefore, Andrii Shevchenko was able to communicate with the national team from the House of Football via an online conference, in which almost all the players of the blue-yellow team took part.

"You have taken a very important step in your career. I did not achieve such success at your age. When I was about your age, we played head-to-head matches with Netherlands: 2:2 at home, 0:0 away and did not qualify for the 1994 Euro. And you guys are great!

However, this is only the beginning of your journey. Now you have a very bright moment in your career, you confidently passed the elite round of qualifying. But the European Championship is a completely different motivation! There will be a very high level of teams and players. But you always have to compete with the best — you have to move forward, look for new challenges," - said Andriy Shevchenko, addressing the players of the Ukrainian U-17 national team.

Photo of UAF press service

In turn, the coach of the team Yurii Moroz, who was also present at the House of Football during the meeting, invited Andriy Shevchenko to support the national team during the final part of Euro-2024 in Cyprus. The UAF president assured him that he would try to find an opportunity to do it personally. And about this, addressing the players, he added: "The European Championship is a chance to show yourself. There will be many representatives of famous clubs from all over Europe in the stands during the matches. But I want you to understand: the main thing is not only to show individual qualities, the main thing is the performance of the team. Currently, trends are changing in the football world. Leading specialists look at the results of the team as a whole, and do not focus on individual performers, no matter how well they were individually prepared. Now, the ability to work specifically for the team, for its result, is most valued in a football player."

Euro-2024 (U-17) with the participation of 16 national teams will be held from May 20 to June 5 in Cyprus - at six stadiums in Achna, Larnaca, Paralimni and Limassol.

The draw for the final tournament takes place in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, on April 3. 16 participants will be divided into four groups of four teams. Currently, participation in the championship has been guaranteed by Cyprus (as the host of the competition) and Ukraine.