SOC servicemen and children of fallen and missing heroes witnessed a convincing victory for the Ukraine national team over Iceland (2-0) in qualification matches for the 2026 World Cup.

A visit to Poland by 120 Ukrainians was made possible thanks to cooperation between the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Special Operations Forces, the Association of Veterans of SOC, the Ukrainian Football Association (UFA), the Association of Football Veterans in Ukraine, and the Sobolchynsky Family Charity Fund. Units select their most honorable members—those who courageously defend the country every day—and the trip becomes a rest and motivation to continue serving.

Motivation for the National Team

"Ídychu na vi"—this is a well-known slogan of Special Operations Forces. But equally important is that SOC is a large friendly family where no one is left alone during difficult times.

Military personnel and children visited the national team's pre-match training, saw the final preparations for the match, and spoke with UFA President Andriy Shevchenko, head coach of the national team Serhiy Rebrov, and players.

The story for children continued the next day: boys and girls led out players from both Ukraine and Iceland onto the field, lined up under the roar of the stands to sing the Ukrainian National Anthem. Perhaps it was the children's positive energy and sincerity that gave the national team an extra push at the end of the game. And photos with top players will become a special family memory.

In addition to football, participants had an informative excursion program in Warsaw.

Hat-trick Against Poland

The day before the match between Ukraine and Iceland, a significant game took place. A united team of veterans from the national team and special forces faced off against a star-studded Polish squad.

Among the Ukrainians were well-known players such as Yevhen Seleznyov, Artem Fedetskyi, Andriy Donchuk, Yuriy Pankiv, Andriy Khomenko, and Valeriy Fedorchuk. They were joined by quick and agile young men from various special forces units. The team was colorful, interesting, and genuinely charged up. Poland's squad was led by the well-known Ukrainian fan favorite Robert Lewandowski, who invited players with experience at a high level.

Before the game, First Vice President of UFA Artem Stoyanov addressed its participants. A SOC soldier, Mykola Kobylinsky with call sign Enyeko, presented organizers Veronika Marchuk and Mykhailo Shpakovskyi with a letter of appreciation from SOC Commander Oleksandr Trepaik for their support.

Attention then turned to the football field. All players had a chance to play and feel the much-needed energy after combat days. Yevhen Seleznyov confirmed his goal-scoring prowess, scoring a hat-trick. The match ended with a score of 3-1 in favor of the Ukrainian team.

Powerful Support

At all home matches for the World Cup qualification this fall, the national team received support from military personnel. Gathering in a section, SOC fighters sincerely cheered on Serhiy Rebrov's wards, and the end of the match became the true climax of football autumn.

Overall, our brave heroes had an opportunity to rest, feel peaceful life, play football, and hear words of gratitude from Ukrainian sports legends.

Ukrainian Armed Forces officer and President of the Association of Football Veterans in Ukraine Oleg Sobolchynsky, due to military duties, could not be present at events in Warsaw but made every effort to ensure everything went smoothly.

"The cooperation between UFA, SOC, and AVFU has been successful — our military were present at all three matches,”— Oleg Sobolchynsky said. "Thanks to Andriy Shevchenko's comprehensive support, everything went wonderfully well. Most importantly, seeing the smiles of children and gratitude from military personnel for defending and preserving the country. For the future, there are many plans for rehabilitating servicemen and organizing friendly matches. People who make it possible for football to continue in Ukraine deserve the highest attention and support."