Sport

A robbery before the match and a loss: what happened to the Ukrainian national team

The Ukrainian national team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after losing in the playoff semifinals
to the Swedish national soccer team with a score of 1-3. This was reported by BurBuzz , according to "Komersant Ukrainian".

Viktor Djokeres was the hero of the match, scoring a hat trick and denying the “blue-and-yellows” a spot in the World Cup.

How Ukraine lost its chance at the World Cup

Serhiy Rebrov’s team advanced to the playoff stage but was stopped one step away from the final qualifying round.

Key moments:

• a 1-3 loss in the playoff semifinals;
• a hat trick by
  ;
• Ukraine lost its chance to compete for a spot in the
  2026 FIFA World Cup.

Pre-match incident: a robbery at the hotel

A few days before the match, a high-profile incident occurred at the national team’s training camp.

While the team was training in Benidorm, unknown individuals broke into the players’ hotel rooms.

According to reports:

• money and valuables were stolen;
• players, coaches, and staff were affected;
• there are concerns about inadequate security.

The incident may have affected the team’s psychological state ahead of the decisive match.

Team atmosphere: signals from within

After the defeat, forward Roman Yaremchuk hinted at problems within the team.

Specifically:

• a deterioration in the team atmosphere;
• possible tension among the players;
• a general psychological slump.

These factors raise questions about the national team’s preparation.

What’s next: friendly matches and new tournaments

Despite failing to qualify for the World Cup, the team will continue to compete internationally.

Upcoming plans:

• a friendly match against the Albania national football team (March 31, Valencia);
• possible friendlies in June;
• the start of the 2026–2027 UEFA Nations League.

In the Nations League, Ukraine will play in Division B against:

• the Hungary national football team
• Northern Ireland national football team
• Georgia national football team

The coach’s future: a question without an answer

Following the setback, attention is growing regarding Serhiy Rebrov’s position.

Currently:

• there is no information about his resignation;
• the coach is preparing the team for upcoming matches;
• final personnel decisions may depend on the results of upcoming tournaments.

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