Ukrainians watch the broadcast of the Euro match Ukraine-Belgium in a pub, in Lviv, Ukraine, on June 26, 2024. RAFAEL YAGHOBZADEH FOR “LE MONDE”
The cries in unison of the Ukrainian supporters gathered on the terraces and in the bars of Lviv will have done nothing: at the end of a slow match without much relief, the meeting between Ukraine and Belgium, Wednesday 26 June evening, ended in a draw (0-0). After its scathing defeat during its first Euro 2024 football match against Romania (3-0), followed by a comeback against Slovakia (2-1), the Ukrainian selection was eliminated after a short adventure which held in suspense the population of the country. The Blues and Yellows were participating in their first major competition since the Russian invasion of February 2022.
“A strong nation is one that remains united and supports each other at all times, in defeat and in victory” can we read on the Telegram channel of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Today we thank the Ukrainian national football team. Despite the unfortunate outcome, they fought for our country. Great victories await us. »
The bars of Lviv – the large city in western Ukraine – which welcomed the supporters, emptied into silence at the end of the match. A few hours earlier, at the end of the afternoon, many terraces had been filled with hundreds of people, some wearing the national colors. Electric generators were roaring everywhere in the streets. Power cuts in cities are now a daily occurrence since Russian armed forces relentlessly bomb Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
The hand on the heart
A sign of the importance of European competition for the country at war, the majority of football fans stood up with their hands on their hearts to sing the national anthem at the same time as the players on the pitch in Stuttgart, Germany. “We know it’s not going to be easy” recognized Ihor Siomak, a real estate agent who came with his wife, Iryna, who said he had the hope, like everyone else, of seeing at least the Blues and Yellows manage to qualify. “It has happened that small teams surprise everyone during this type of competition”.
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In 2021, the “Zbirna” had also managed to shine by reaching the quarter-finals of the Euro. This 2024 edition was all the more unprecedented for Ukrainian players as they have been forced since 2022 to play and organize their gatherings abroad. “These matches are important for us because they also give visibility to Ukraine on a subject other than that of war,” affirm Ihor Siomak.
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