New Faces Join Ukraine's Coaching Ranks
Following the appointment of Italian Andrea Maldera as head coach, Spanish specialist Abraham Campomar will join the coaching staff of Ukraine's national football team. Campomar will handle analytics, match analysis, and serve as an interpreter. His background includes working within FC Shakhtar's system from 2018 to 2020 as a youth talent coordinator, as well as assisting former Ukraine head coach Oleksandr Petrakov from August 2020 to December 2021. After his stint with the national team, Campomar spent six months with Luhansk-based Zorya, and his most recent club was Kazakhstan's Aktobe.
Andrea Maldera's Appointment
Andrea Maldera is set to take over as head coach of the Ukraine national football team in mid-May. He is expected to arrive in Kyiv on May 18, with the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) officially confirming his appointment on May 19. UAF President Andriy Shevchenko will present Maldera at the Executive Committee meeting. Both Shevchenko and Maldera will attend the Ukrainian Cup final on May 20 between Dynamo and Chernihiv at the Arena Lviv.
Maldera will become the first foreign specialist to lead the Ukraine national team. Until June 2016, he worked within Italian club AC Milan's structure as a technical development coach and match analyst. For five years, Maldera assisted head coach Andriy Shevchenko. He left the national team in August 2021 to join English club Brighton, and his most recent role was as an assistant at French club Marseille. Notably, Maldera has no prior experience as a head coach.
In June, Ukraine will play two friendly matches—against Poland and Denmark. In fall 2026, the team will compete in League B of the Nations League, facing Hungary, Georgia, and Northern Ireland.
- Andrea Maldera's annual salary will be under 500,000 euros.
- His estimated monthly wage is 30,000–35,000 euros.
- The previous coaching staff, led by Serhiy Rebrov, earned up to 2 million euros per year.
- Serhiy Rebrov personally made 1.25 million euros.
The appointments of Andrea Maldera as head coach and Abraham Campomar to the staff signal a fresh approach within the coaching setup, one that could shape the team's future results. With friendlies and Nations League matches ahead, these leadership changes may mark a pivotal step toward restoring Ukraine's success on the international stage.
As Ukraine embarks on this new chapter with Andrea Maldera at the helm, understanding the conditions surrounding his appointment provides crucial insights into the team's future direction and strategy. This transition not only marks a significant shift in leadership but also highlights the evolving dynamics within the coaching staff.