Ukrainian National Team Players Abroad See Weekend Action
This past weekend, nine players from the Ukrainian national team featured in matches for their respective clubs across Europe. The national side is currently focused on its World Cup qualification campaign, with a crucial playoff semi-final against Sweden scheduled for March 26, 2026.
How the Ukrainian Legionnaires Fared
- On January 16, 2026, Girona, featuring Viktor Tsyhankov and Vladyslav Vanat, secured a 2:0 victory over Espanyol.
- Ilya Zabarnyi's Paris Saint-Germain defeated Lille 3:0 on January 18.
- Also on January 18, Benfica, where Anatoliy Trubin and Georgiy Sudakov play, beat Rio Ave 2:0.
- Yehor Yarmoliuk's Brentford suffered a 0:2 defeat to Chelsea on January 17, 2026.
- Ruslan Malinovskyi's Genoa played to a 0:0 draw with Parma on January 18.
- Playing for Trabzonspor, Oleksandr Zubkov helped his team to a 2:1 win over Kocaelispor on January 18.
- Vitaliy Mykolenko's Everton also won on January 18, defeating Aston Villa 1:0.
Ukraine's most recent qualifier was a 2:0 victory over Iceland, with Zubkov scoring in the 83rd minute and Heorhiy Tsitaishvili adding another in stoppage time. The team is now intensifying preparations for its decisive match on March 26, 2026. The form of these key players at their clubs is a critical factor as the national team builds momentum for the high-stakes playoff. A win against a strong Swedish side would be a significant achievement for Ukrainian football.