Players of the blue-and-yellow team, Yevgeniy Volynets and Nazar Voloshin, spoke about their call-up to the national team and their expectations for these matches. 

Yevgeniy Volynets (goalkeeper): "I was already once in the squad, but it's very pleasant that I've been called up again. I'm glad to be here. I found out about the call-up before the match with 'Metalist 1925'—Oleksiy Hushchylak said there was a message for me in the group. Then the national team administrator called me. The reaction, of course, was positive. I'm very happy. 

Photo: Dan Balashov

Three years ago, I was called up to the national team. Of course, there are changes. A new coach, some players. But I know almost everyone, so it's not a problem. Three years ago, I came from another club (Kovalyovskiy 'Colos'—Note), and there were no teammates in the squad. Now it's easier; they help a bit. Oleksiy Hushchylak advised me to stay calm—he said everything would be fine. Overall, the club welcomed me and said I deserved it.

There is no nervousness before the matches with France and Iceland. As for my expectations, right now I'm only interested in a positive result."  

Nazar Voloshyn (defensive midfielder): "I found out about the call-up to the squad at home after playing 'Dynamo'. Reaction? Quickly packed and went to the station. I was there in two minutes—I rushed very fast. The squads of France and Iceland are very good, quality teams. It will be difficult against them, but we have a goal, and we will move towards it."»

Ukraine Squad

Goalkeepers: Yevgeniy Volynets ('Polissya' Zhytomyr), Anatoliy Trubin ('Benfica' Lisbon, Portugal), Dmytro Riznyk ('Shakhtar' Donetsk).

Defenders: Ilya Zabarnyi ('Paris Saint-Germain' Paris, France), Oleksandr Svytok ('Austin', USA), Valeri Bondar, Mykhailo Matviyenko, Yurym Konoplyan (all—'Shakhtar' Donetsk), Vitaliy Mykolenko ('Everton' Liverpool, England), Bohdan Mikhaylichenko ('Polissya' Zhytomyr), Oleksandr Karavaev, Taras Mykhalko (both—'Dynamo' Kyiv).

Midfielders: Yegor Yarmoluk ('Brentford', England), Ivan Kalyuzhnyy ('Metalist 1925' Kharkiv), Mykhailo Shaparenko, Nazar Voloshyn (both—'Dynamo' Kyiv), Georgiy Sudakov ('Benfica' Lisbon, Portugal), Oleksandr Ocheretyna, Yegor Nazaryn (both—'Shakhtar' Donetsk), Oleksiy Hushchylak ('Polissya' Zhytomyr), Ruslan Malinovskiy ('Genoa' Genoa, Italy), Viktor Tsygankov ('Girona', Spain), Oleksandr Zubkov ('Trabzonspor' Trabzon, Turkey).

Forwards:  Vladyslav Vanat ('Girona', Spain), Roman Yaremchuk ('Olympiacos' Piraeus, Greece).

Reserve List

Ruslan Nosyrev, Kostiantyn Vyhcharenko, Oleksandr Timchyk, Oleksandr Pykhalyonok (all—'Dynamo' Kyiv), Maxim Taloverov ('Stoke City' Stoke-on-Trent, England), Artem Bondarenko ('Shakhtar' Donetsk), Oleksandr Nazarenko, Vladyslav Velentyn (both—'Polissya' Zhytomyr).

On November 12 at the 'Parc des Princes' stadium, traditional pre-match activities will take place. At 7:00 PM Kyiv time, a press conference with Serhiy Rebrov and one of his players will begin, followed by training for the blue-and-yellow team on the pitch where the match between France and Ukraine will be held on November 13.