Ukraine's New Head Coach Calls Up Goalkeeper Based in Israel

Georgiy Yermakov Joins Ukraine Squad as Late Addition

According to Главком: Andrea Maldera, the newly appointed head coach of the Ukrainian national team, has added goalkeeper Georgiy Yermakov to the squad. The 24-year-old, who plays for Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, serves as his club's first-choice keeper. During the 2025/26 season, Yermakov made 37 appearances at the club level, conceding 45 goals. Transfermarkt values him at €2.5 million. Prior to his move to Israel, Yermakov played for Oleksandriya, helping them secure second place in the Ukrainian Premier League in the 2024/25 season.

Experience and Upcoming Friendlies

Yermakov has prior experience with Ukraine's youth national teams, having played three matches for the U-21 side and serving as a backup goalkeeper for the U-23 team at the 2024 Olympics. Under Maldera's leadership, Ukraine will play its first friendly matches:

• May 31 – against Poland
• June 7 – versus Denmark

Andrea Maldera now leads the Ukrainian coaching staff, supported by former Dnipro defender Volodymyr Yezerskyi, ex-Shakhtar Donetsk captain Taras Stepanenko, and fellow Italian Pasquale Catalano. These changes mark a new chapter for the national team as it seeks to build momentum.

Poland is also preparing for its matches, having announced its squad for the games against Ukraine and Nigeria. Notable call-ups include Robert Lewandowski and former Dynamo Kyiv defender Tomasz Kędziora.

These friendlies are crucial for both teams, allowing their coaching staffs to assess player readiness ahead of upcoming official competitions. The new tactical approaches and squad selections under fresh leadership could significantly shape each team's development in the near future. For Ukraine, this presents an opportunity to reaffirm its ambitions on the international stage following the coaching change.

As Ukraine's national team embarks on this new journey with a foreign coach, it is essential to explore how this shift in leadership might influence the team's strategy and performance. Insights into the first-ever appointment of a foreign head coach for the national squad can provide a deeper understanding of the evolving dynamics within Ukrainian football. For a closer look at this significant development, check out the details surrounding this historic decision.