Dynamo Kyiv Forward Matviy Ponomarenko Caught in Controversy: Player Exceeds Speed Limit in Bentley

Matviy Ponomarenko, a forward for Dynamo Kyiv, has become embroiled in a significant scandal after a photo emerged on his Instagram account, depicting him behind the wheel of a Bentley, speeding at an alarming rate. The image clearly shows the car reaching a speed of 245 km/h, prompting outrage among social media users. Speeding is a serious violation of traffic regulations that can lead to hefty fines and poses a significant risk to public safety.

Following the widespread circulation of the image, Ponomarenko quickly deleted it from his page; however, the public reaction had already turned overwhelmingly negative. Many internet users expressed their discontent, highlighting the dangers of such reckless behavior, particularly for a young athlete who is a rising star in the team.

Legendary Dynamo Kyiv player Yozhef Sabo also weighed in on the situation, suggesting that the young forward should have his car taken away following such an incident. Sabo expressed his disapproval of Ponomarenko's actions, emphasizing that despite his talent, such behavior is entirely unacceptable. "I said that Ponomarenko is a show-off! And my opinion has not changed regarding him in this respect. As a footballer, he is a very talented young man, he has all the qualities to grow into a quality striker. I never tire of saying this, and he could move from Dynamo to a good European club like Real Madrid or PSG, but this kind of behavior does not suit him. 245 kilometers per hour? It’s madness…" Sabo stated in an interview with Sport-express.ua.

Sabo further expressed concern that Ponomarenko lacks older friends who could explain to him that driving recklessly is not only dangerous but also wrong. "I’m just curious, doesn’t he have older friends who could explain that he shouldn’t drive like that, especially with everyone knowing about it? Well, maybe his friends are young too, but he has parents. Why aren’t they guiding him in this regard? I don’t know… He needs to be directed onto the right path," he added.

Sabo also voiced fears that Ponomarenko might follow in the footsteps of other footballers who encountered problems due to their behavior. "I don’t even want to think about him repeating their [Aliyev and Milevsky] path… God forbid! I once took Shevchenko’s car away because he was 'flying', he overtook me once on the road to the training base. Andriy was still young then. The same should be done with Ponomarenko! The situation is somewhat similar. What if something happened to him, God forbid?" Sabo emphasized.

It is worth noting that in the current season, Matviy Ponomarenko has been showcasing impressive results on the field, becoming the top scorer in the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) with nine goals in 11 matches. At the end of March this year, he also scored in the match between Ukraine and Sweden (1:3) during the qualification for the 2026 World Cup, marking his debut with the national team.

However, despite his on-field successes, Ponomarenko will miss Dynamo's next match against Metalist 1925 in the Ukrainian championship due to receiving a red card in a controversial match against Karpaty (0:1). This situation underscores the importance of responsible behavior not only on the field but also off it, especially for young athletes who serve as role models for many.