Ihor Khudobyak Evaluates Ukraine's Performance in World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

In a recent interview, Ihor Khudobyak, a prominent figure in Ukrainian football, expressed his thoughts on the national team's challenging path to the 2026 World Cup. The blue and yellow team found themselves in a tough qualifying group alongside France, Iceland, and Azerbaijan, ultimately finishing in second place. This position granted them a chance to compete in the playoffs; however, the outcomes were far from satisfactory.

Ukraine advanced to the playoff matches, where they faced Sweden. Despite Sweden's poor performance in their qualifying group, finishing last without a single victory, they managed to defeat the Ukrainian team in the playoff semifinals with a score of 3-1, progressing through the Nations League.

In a conversation with NV journalist, Khudobyak shared his insights regarding the future of the national team's coach, Serhiy Rebrov, and discussed which veterans might be able to assist the team during this challenging period.

Khudobyak rated Ukraine's performance in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers at a score of 5-6 out of 10. He noted that the group matches, particularly the early ones, were extremely difficult, and the away game against Azerbaijan left many questions unanswered. 'We couldn't compete with France at all. The result was that we finished second, but there was no real game; the team offered very little to please the fans,' Khudobyak remarked.

He also emphasized that in the playoff match against Sweden, the team could have exhibited more desire and commitment. 'The team was within our capabilities; they were not stronger than us, yet we lost this game. There are various ways to lose, but in the match against Sweden, we had no chances at all,' he added.

Khudobyak believes that the strongest players who deserved a place in the national team were called up, but he also pointed out that a generational shift is occurring, with more young footballers emerging. Nevertheless, he feels that experienced players like Andriy Yarmolenko could significantly help the team. 'It's difficult to change players in the national team; the best are still called up. I think it's time to change the coach,' Khudobyak emphasized.

He noted that it would be a strange decision to keep Rebrov in his position, especially after failing to achieve the goal of qualifying for the World Cup. 'Ukraine does not have a weak championship. Many players from the Ukrainian national team play in Europe. It would be good if even more played, of course. The level in Europe is better. Our footballers are not worse than those in Croatia or Bosnia. We need to add and progress,' he added.

Khudobyak hopes that these matches will provide valuable experience for the Ukrainian team, and that in the next cycle, the national team will perform better, with players showing greater commitment on the field. It is noteworthy that in the final, Sweden defeated Poland with a score of 3-2, securing their place in the World Cup, while the Ukrainian team recently won a friendly match against Albania 1-0.

Earlier reports indicated that coach Serhiy Rebrov wishes to remain in his position and is willing to accept a salary reduction to do so.