The Ukraine national football team () represents Ukraine in men's international football, and is governed by the Ukrainian Association of Football, the governing body for football in Ukraine. Ukraine's home ground is the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv. The team has been a full member of UEFA and FIFA since 1992.
After the restoration of the Ukrainian independence, the team played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992. In their debut in a major world championship, the team reached the quarter-finals in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Ukraine is one of only three post-Soviet states to have qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals, the others being Uzbekistan and Russia.
As the host nation, Ukraine automatically qualified for UEFA Euro 2012. Four years later, Ukraine finished third in their qualifying group for Euro 2016 and advanced for the first time, via the play-off route and qualifiers, to reach a UEFA European Championship tournament. This marked the first time in Ukraine's six play-off appearances that it managed to win a tie, having lost previous play-off ties for the 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup, the 2010 World Cup and the 2014 World Cup, and would lose again in the 2022 and 2026 World Cup play-offs.
Ukraine's best performances in the UEFA European Championship and in the World Cup were in 2020 and 2006 respectively, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in both cases.
History
Ukrainian SSR (1924–1990) The national team was formed in the early 1990s and was recognized internationally soon thereafter. Ukraine, under the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, previously had a national team in 1924–1935Ukrainian Soccer History website just like the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The national team included the players Andriy Ponomarenko, Ivan Privalov, Volodymyr Fomin, H. Syrota, Mykola Fomin, Anatoliy Lisnyi, Oleksandr Shatokha (goalkeeper), Dmytro Kyryllov, Dmytro Starusev, Serhiy Kopeiko, Petro Parovyshnykov (first team); Valentyn Prokofyev, Fedir Tyutchev, H. Yakubovskyi, Ivan Vladymyrskyi, Serafim Moskvin (goalkeeper), Kazymyr Piontkovskyi, Mykhailo Pashuta, Vasiliy Yepishin, Adam Bem, K. Us, Volodymyr Prasolov (second team).5 июня в истории Харькова: открыт самый большой в стране стадион. gx.net.ua. 5 June 2021САМЫЕ ПЕРВЫЕ ШАГИ. dinamo.kharkiv.ua
The earliest record of games played by Ukraine can be traced back to August 1928. A championship among the national teams of the Soviet republics as well as the Moscow city team took place in Moscow; at the All-Soviet tournament, Ukraine reached the final where it lost to Moscow 1–0, after defeating Belarus and Transcaucasus.
In 1929, Ukraine beat Lower Austria in an exhibition match in Kharkiv 4–1, and played in another Soviet tournament. Ukraine lost to Transcaucasus 3–0.
Official formation Before 1991, Ukrainian players were represented by the Soviet Union national team. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Russia took its place in the qualifying tournament for the 1994 World Cup. The Ukraine national team did not enter the tournament as it was not yet admitted to FIFA. Meanwhile, some of the best Ukrainian players of the 1990s (including Andrei Kanchelskis, Viktor Onopko, Sergei Yuran, Yuriy Nikiforov, Ilya Tsymbalar and Oleg Salenko) chose to play for Russia. At the time, Vyacheslav Koloskov, a top official from the former Soviet Union and later Russia, served as a vice-president of UEFA from 1980–1996 representing the Soviet Union and later the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The Soviet Union's five-year UEFA coefficient (earned in part by Ukrainian players), was transferred to the Russian national team. As a result, a crisis was created for both the national team and the domestic league.
Controversy developed because the Ukrainian football league lacked adequate funding for their teams due to the economic crisis affecting all CIS countries. There also was a reverse influx of players; Viktor Leonenko agreed on transfer from Dynamo Moscow to Dynamo Kyiv. The Russian club did not want to release him, but Leonenko did not want to continue to play in Moscow.
In the following years, the Ukrainian team improved, including talents like Andriy Shevchenko, Serhiy Rebrov, and Oleksandr Shovkovskyi.
First official games (Prokopenko) In 1992, Ukraine was accepted as a full member to FIFA and UEFA at which time Ukraine selected its first manager by members of a coaching council which consisted of Anatoliy Puzach (manager of Dynamo Kyiv), Yevhen Kucherevskyi (FC Dnipro), Yevhen Lemeshko (Torpedo Zaporizhzhia), Yukhym Shkolnykov (Bukovyna Chernivtsi) and Viktor Prokopenko (Chornomorets Odesa). Later, they were joined by Valeriy Yaremchenko (Shakhtar Donetsk). The circle was narrowed to three specialists and Prokopenko eventually became the manager.
Ukraine played their first match on 29 April 1992 against Hungary in Uzhhorod at the Avanhard Stadium, losing 3–1 with the sole Ukrainian goal scored by Ivan Hetsko. With the creation of a "phantom" (transitional) CIS team in place of the Soviet Union playing against England in Moscow in preparation for the UEFA Euro 1992.1992 season of the Russian national football tean. Rusteam.permian.ru That year the Ukrainian team lost some notable players to the Soviet Union team. Following several losses to Hungary and a draw to the United States, Prokopenko resigned and the last season game was led by his assistants Mykola Pavlov and Leonid Tkachenko.
Euro 1996 qualification (Bazylevych)
Ukraine appointed head coach, Oleh Bazylevych, who made his debut with the national team in the spring of 1993 in Odesa during a friendly game against Israel, resulting in a 1–1 draw. Less than one month later, Ukraine finally won in Vilnius against Lithuania. During that summer they lost 3–1 to Croatia; Ukraine was later seeded in Group 4 of the UEFA Euro 1996 qualification.
Ukraine was defeated by Israel in March 1994, and drew Bulgaria and the United Arab Emirates. On 7 September 1994, the national team started its first official qualification campaign with a home loss 2–0 to Lithuania.. Fanat (from Komanda newspaper). Following the defeat and a weak performances in preceding friendlies, Bazylevych was fired and the tour to South Korea was led by the Bazylevych assistants Pavlov and Muntyan. Soon thereafter the Federation signed a contract with Valeriy Lobanovsky. On 24 September, the Football Federation of Ukraine appointed Yozhef Sabo as an acting manager until the end of the year after Lobanovsky signed a contract with Kuwait.
Under Sabo's management, the team's next home game against Slovenia ended goalless. Komanda newspaper (by Fanat). and they eventually beat Estonia 3–0, gaining their first win in an official competitive game.. Komanda newspaper (by Fanat) At the beginning of the year the Football Federation confirmed Anatoliy Konkov as the new head coach on 5 January 1995.
Under coach Konkov, the team started with away losses of 4–0 to Croatia and 3–0 to Italy.. Komanda newspaper (by Fanat) Following the losses, there was a three-game winning streak including a home victory against Croatia. A subsequent loss to Slovenia had the team finishing in fourth place in its first qualification campaign behind Lithuania.
1998–2004: near misses Following Konkov's departure in 1996, the Federation appointed Sabo as head coach. Separately, there was a preliminary agreement with Lobanovsky to coach following his contract end with Kuwait.
Ukraine participated in 1998 World Cup qualification, where the team was drawn into Group 9. Ukraine took second place, behind Germany and ahead of Portugal, but was defeated in a play-off stage 3–1 on aggregate by Croatia. The qualification campaign became notable as the beginning of the international career of Shevchenko as well as providing more play time for players such as Oleksandr Shovkovsky and Serhiy Rebrov.
In the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying, Ukraine, assigned in Group 4, finished above Russia, thanks to an important draw in Moscow and a home victory. However, they still only qualified for the playoff behind the French side despite being undefeated. Ukraine then fell to Slovenia 3–2 on aggregate. Following the qualification campaign, the Federation finally signed a contract with Valery Lobanovsky, ending Sabo's tenure as a head coach.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification saw Ukraine in Group 5. With Lobanovsky as a head coach, there were expectations of the first qualification to the finals. Yet, Ukraine suffered a home loss to Poland in their opening match, and many draws resulted in Ukraine qualifying for the playoff, losing to Germany, 5–2 on aggregate. Under public pressure, particularly the Higher League, head coaches argued for the removal of Lobanovsky and the Federation decided not to renew its contract with Lobanovsky, instead moving him to Dynamo Kyiv.
In the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying, Ukraine with the new head coach Leonid Buryak, was assigned into Group 6, with Spain and Greece. Ukraine failed to qualify.
2006 World Cup After the Euro 2004 qualifying match, Ukraine appointed Oleg Blokhin as the national team's head coach. Placed in Group 2, Ukraine went on to qualify as a group winner for their first-ever FIFA World Cup on 3 September 2005, after drawing 1–1 against Georgia in Tbilisi (and ahead of Turkey), playing Denmark and their last campaign against rivals Greece (among others). This was the first successful qualification campaign for Ukraine despite a poor home turf performance.
In the 2006 World Cup, Ukraine was in Group H with Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. After losing 4–0 in the first match against Spain, the Ukrainians won the next two matches to face Switzerland in round 16. Drawing goalless, Ukraine took Switzerland to a penalty shoot-out where two saves from Oleksandr Shovkovsky secured a positive outcome for his side despite the first kick miss by Andriy Shevchenko. Switzerland which did not lose or yield a single goal was sent home early with Ukraine advancing to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, Ukraine, facing Italy, was defeated with two second half two goals from Luca Toni, securing a comfortable 3–0 win for the future 2006 World Cup champions.
2006–2012 After the World Cup, Ukraine was placed in UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group B, along with Italy and France; Ukraine had also performed poorly against Scotland, Georgia and Lithuania, ultimately finishing in fourth place. Due to the bleak performance of the national team Oleg Blokhin resigned and surprisingly signed with the recently established FC Moscow. by Mikhail Volobuyev, Gennady Fyodorov and Ken Ferris, Reuters, 6 December 2007 ESPNsoccernet 14 December 2007
With another Soviet football star player Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko as the new head coach, 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification saw Ukraine in Group 6, drawing Croatia and winning against England, sending Ukraine to the playoff. Greece, which had been eliminated by Ukraine in the qualifiers four years earlier, would eventually get revenge. Following the failure to qualify, the Federation decided not to renew the contract with Mykhaylychenko.
As co-hosts, Ukraine qualified automatically for Euro 2012, marking their debut in the UEFA European Championship. The Federation decided to appoint Myron Markevych to prepare and lead the national team in the Euro finals. However, following a few friendlies Markevych resigned due to the off-pitch politics and having held coaching office of both the national team and Metalist Kharkiv. For the next several games in 2010 and 2011 the national team was led by caretaker Yuriy Kalitvintsev who starred for Ukraine back in its first qualification campaign for the Euro 1996.