Andrea Maldera, who previously worked for Italian soccer club AC Milan and, since 2016, has been part of the coaching staff for the Ukrainian national soccer team, has been named the new head coach of the Ukrainian national team.
As reported on the website of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) on Monday, this marks the first time a foreign coach has led the Ukrainian national team.
“The Italian specialist’s candidacy was approved by the UAF Executive Committee upon the recommendation of the National Teams Committee. The contract with Andrea Maldera is for two years with an option to extend,” the statement reads.
Maldini was born on May 18, 1971. Throughout his career, he has served as an assistant head coach at AC Milan (Italy), Brighton (England), and Marseille (France). From 2016 to 2021, he served as Andriy Shevchenko’s assistant on the coaching staff of the Ukrainian national team.
As reported, Serhiy Rebrov has stepped down as head coach of the Ukrainian national team but will remain vice president and a member of the UAF Executive Committee. UAF President Andriy Shevchenko announced this on April 21.
Rebrov led the national team from 2023 to 2026; under his leadership, the team participated in the 2024 European Championship but failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Ukraine national futsal team defeated France in the match for the third place – 7:1. The goals for Ukraine were scored by Igor Chernyavsky, Mykhailo Zvarich, Yevhen Zhuk and Daniil Abakshin, follows from the broadcast of the match.
For the Ukrainian team – this is the first medals at the world championship.
Argentina and Brazil, the teams Ukraine lost to at the tournament, will play in the final.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated the Ukrainian national soccer team on its 2-1 victory against Iceland and qualification for the Euro 2024 Championship.
“Thank you, guys! Thank you, national team! For the most important emotions for the whole country. For the super important victory and exit to the Euro,” Zelensky wrote in Telegram on Wednesday night.
He noted that with this victory the Ukrainian national team “once again proved: when Ukrainians have a hard time, but they do not give up and continue to fight, then Ukrainians are sure to win.”
“In times when they want to destroy us every day, we prove every day: Ukrainians are and will be! Ukraine is and will be! Thank you for the victory!” – summarized the President.
The Ukraine-Iceland game was held in Wroclaw, Poland.
At the beginning of the game Ukraine had an advantage in possession of the ball, but the first half hour of the game ended with a goal by Iceland.
Ukraine restored parity in the 54th minute. Viktor Tsygankov struck the bottom corner of the goal – 1:1. The second goal was scored by Mykhailo Mudryk in the 84th minute.
The other two last two tickets to the final part of Euro 2024 were won by Georgia and Poland in penalty shootouts on Tuesday.
Ukraine will play its first match at the tournament in Munich on June 17 against Romania. The opponents in Group E will also be Slovakia and Belgium, with whom the Ukrainian team will play on June 21 and 26 in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart, respectively.
