Today, on June 11 in Łódź, Poland, the Ukraine national team will play a match of the 2022/2023 Nations League against Armenia (kick-off at 4 PM). We present our opponent.

Armenia

General Information

Confederation: UEFA. Governing body: Football Federation of Armenia. As of March 2022, the Armenian national team held the FIFA ranking 92nd position. Home arena: Razdan Stadium (capacity 53,849). Armenia has never participated in World Cup or European Championship tournaments. The team's first match in history was played on October 14, 1992 against Moldova (0:0), the biggest victory came on May 28, 2016 over Guatemala (7:1), and the worst defeat occurred on March 29, 2022 against Norway (0:9). The national team has the nickname «Leopards».

Squad

Goalkeepers: David Yurchenko, Stanislav Buchnev (both — «Pyunik»), Arsen Beglaryan («Urartu»), Henry Avagyan («Noravank»).

Defenders: Varazdat Arakelyan («Cadiz», Spain), Oganess Ambartsumyan («Anorthosis», Cyprus), Kamo Oganezyan («Astana», Kazakhstan), Aik Ishkhanyan, Armen Oganezyan (both — «Pyunik»), Taron Voskanyan («Alashkert»), Gagik Mkoian («Ararat»), Stepan Mkrtchyan (CSKA), João Jordi Monroy Ararat («Noa»), Hrayr Margaryan («Urartu»).

Midfielders: Edvard Spercyan («Krasnodar», Russia), Horen Bayramyan («Rostov», Russia), Edgar Babayan («Vejle», Denmark), Tigran Barsgamyan («Slovanski Senec», Slovakia), Vahan Bichakhchyan («Pogon Szczecin», Poland), Solomon Udo, Vbaymar Angulo (both — «Ararat-Armenia»), Artak Grigoryan («Alashkert»), Oganess Arutyunyan, Artak Dashtyanyan (both — «Pyunik»), Rudyk Mkrtchyan, Edgar Malakyan (both — «Ararat»), Arthur Serobyan (CSKA).

Forwards: Lucas Selarayan («Columbus Crew SC», USA), Sarkis Adamyan («Club Brugge», Belgium).

The average age of the team is 27.8 years. The oldest player is goalkeeper David Yurchenko from Pyunik, who is 36 years and 2 months old, while the youngest is midfielder Arthur Serobyan from CSKA (18 years and 11 months).

Head Coach

The Armenian national team is led by 66-year-old Spanish specialist Joaquín Caparros, who replaced Abraham Hachmanyan in March 2020.

Before being appointed as the coach of Armenia's national team, Caparros had worked with 20 clubs in Spain, Switzerland and Qatar. He is best known for his work at «Sevilla», «Deportivo» and «Athletic Bilbao». With the latter, he reached the final of the Copa del Rey (2008/2009) and played in the Supercopa de España (2009). He was twice named Coach of the Year in Armenia (2020, 2021).

Under his leadership, the Armenian national team has played 21 matches: winning nine, drawing five and losing seven.

Joaquín Caparros is characterized as a hard-working professional who, however, hasn't won anything significant. His tactical approach is universally described as defensive. The coach most often uses the 4-4-2 formation with two holding midfielders.

Leader

After the retirement of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the leader of Armenia's national team can be considered midfielder Tigran Barsegyan from Slovakian «Slovanski Senec».

The 28-year-old player has been with «Gorica» since March 2016. During this time, he played in the national team's football matches 44 times and scored 8 goals.

Barsegyan's career includes Armenian clubs «Banants», «Mika» and «Gandzasar», North Macedonian «Vardar», Kazakhstani «Kaisar» and «Astana» as well as Slovakian «Slovanski Senec». With «Vardar» he became the champion of North Macedonia (2016/2017), with «Kaisar» — the winner of the Kazakhstan Cup (2019), and with «Astana» — the winner of the Kazakhstan Super Cup (2019).

Tigran Barsegyan's main position is winger, playing on both wings. He has excellent dribbling skills. He likes to move from the flanks into the center, setting up shots from distance. A fast and explosive player who actively participates in defensive actions.