Today, November 12th, ahead of the World Cup 2026 qualifier match against France in Paris, head coach of the Ukraine national team Serhiy Rebrov held a press conference.

— Mr. Serhiy, after the previous two matches, you mentioned that the squad was not at its optimal strength, missing four to five key players. Is today's lineup more combat-ready?

— We always have injured players. I believe this is a problem for all teams. Currently, there are fewer injuries compared to before the last two matches. It’s important that those who join the squad do everything they can. For example, Voloshin arrived and played very well against Iceland. I am satisfied with the players joining the squad. They give their all on the field for our country. 

— Many of the team's key players are under threat of suspension due to yellow card accumulation. Are you considering rotation to preserve these players for the more important match against Iceland?

— I don’t differentiate between these matches. The game against France is just as important. This game in Paris is crucial, like every other national team match we play. We understand that now are decisive games. We need to prepare very well and go out there to play.

The first match against France, which we played in Poland, was quite interesting. We created opportunities and had chances in the second half, even could have equalized. We analyzed that game and tomorrow we will try to secure points. 

— And still — how do you plan on managing resources since results are needed both tomorrow and then against Iceland?

— You’ll see for yourself tomorrow, I won’t say anything beforehand. We’re preparing with a game plan for France but it doesn’t make sense to talk about that now. Let me emphasize: both games are important to us. I’m confident the players who will be on the field tomorrow will give their maximum and strive to take points from the French. 

We need to respect our opponent but stay focused on our game. Think about what we can do successfully against such a strong team. 

— How satisfied are you, in percentage terms, with the current lineup?

— I’m always satisfied with our players. Those who joined did well. Unfortunately, we only had one training session. One group recovered while another trained. But I see their desire and level. We’ve called up enough players capable of solving tasks for these two matches. 

— Given that no miracles are expected from the team in the match against France, there won’t be any psychological pressure...

— I can't recall a national team coach who hasn't been criticized. This is always the case, and you cannot escape it. Every fan and journalist has their own perspective. But I’m focused on my work. I understand what we need to do to play well and try to achieve results. I believe the players feel the same way. We shouldn’t focus on either positive or negative feedback but concentrate on our work and seriously prepare for the match. 

— Considering the tight preparation schedule — one training session followed by a game — could this impact the team?

— This doesn’t affect our team. If we had another day, it would be an extra day not just for us but also for the opponent. We use that time more for recovery. Everyone understands that logistics for Ukrainian players are difficult — first by train then by plane. It’s very tough and so we can't conduct full training sessions. Our focus is on tactics and recovery. Yes, at this camp we have one less day of preparation but we’re ready for it.

Reminder: The World Cup 2026 qualifier match between France and Ukraine will take place in Paris on November 13th (kickoff at 8:45 PM Kyiv time).