How Ukraine qualified for Euro 2012
Ukraine qualified as co-hosts. Like Poland, the Ukrainians have not played any competitive match since the last couple of years. Find more on how Ukraine qualified as Euro 2012 co-hosts in our Poland profile.
Who is Ukraine’s coach?
Oleh Blokhin is well known in the history of football having won the Ballon d’Or and the European Footballer of the Year awards back in 1975. The ex-Dynamo Kyiv and Soviet national team player scored a total of 287 goals in 656 matches in his playing career. At international level, Blokhin received 112 caps and netted 42 goals.
Oleh Blokhin is a 9-time Ukrainian Footballer of the Year winner. He won the 1986 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup top scorer award among many other individual honours. The 59-year-old man is yet to experience a real test since his appointment as Ukraine’s coach in April 2011.
Ukraine go into Euro 2012 as underdogs. Oleh Blokhin will further boost his CV if he manages to lead the national team past the group stages of the competition.
Who is Ukraine’s key player?
Andriy Shevchenko
Gone are the days when Andriy Shevchenko was the man of the moment in club football. The ex-AC Milan star striker is nearing the end of his eventful career. During Euro 2012, the rest of the Ukrainian national team players may look up to him in the dressing room. His experience could help Ukraine against the likes of Group D favourites England and France.
Ukraine’s Euro 2012 squad
Goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov, Oleksandr Horyainov, Maxym Koval
Defenders: Oleksandr Kucher, Yaroslav Rakitskiy, Vyacheslav Shevchuk, Evhen Khacheridi, Taras Mykhalyk, Evhen Selin, Bogdan Butko
Midfielders: Oleksandr Aliev, Denys Garmash, Oleh Gusiev, Andriy Yarmolenko, Evhen Konoplyanka, Ruslan Rotan, Serhiy Nazarenko, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
Forwards: Artem Milevskiy, Andriy Shevchenko, Marco Devic, Andriy Voronin, Evhen Seleznyov
Who are Ukraine’s Euro 2012 group opponents?
Ukraine are hoping to avoid a first round exit on home soil. However, like group opponents Sweden, their challenge his extremely huge. France and England are favourites to qualify from Group D.
Ukraine’s group matches schedule
June 11, 2012: Ukraine vs Sweden – Olympic Stadium, Kiev
June 15, 2012: Ukraine vs France – Donbass Arena, Donetsk
June 19, 2012: England vs Ukraine – Donbass Arena, Donetsk
More on Ukraine’s live streaming and TV schedule info page.
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking
Ukraine have dropped from 50th to 52nd in the world. However, they remain 28th in Europe.
