UKRAINE

GROUP: E

PLAYER TO WATCH: Artem Dovbyk

EXPECTED FINISH: Round of 16

Ukraine Fixtures

After reaching the tournament via play-off wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina then Finland, Ukraine have been drawn in Group E of the main competition. An interesting section sees Sergei Rebrov’s men face Belgium, Romania and Slovakia. They will no doubt fancy their chances of progressing to the knockout stages – particularly with the best four third-place finishers qualifying.

Ukraine have never faced Belgium in a men’s international match but they have won their last three games against Romania, scoring eight goals in the process. Though their previous meeting with Slovakia ended in defeat in 2018, Ukraine have generally found them favourable opponents, losing just two of the eight meetings.

Winning the group would see the Ukrainians face a third-place team in the round of 16, with several outcomes possible. Finishing second pits them against the Group D runner-up (potentially France or the Netherlands). Should Ukraine finish third, their knockout stage tie is guaranteed to be against a group winner.

Here are Ukraine’s Group E fixtures in full:

• Romania vs Ukraine: 17th June (Munich Football Arena)
• Slovakia vs Ukraine 21st June (Dusseldorf Arena)
• Ukraine vs Belgium 26th June (Stuttgart Arena)

Standings

Key Players

Artem Dovbyk

Caps (goals): 25 (8)

Position: Striker

Club: Girona

Artem Dovbyk, and his club Girona, have enjoyed a season to remember. Expected to be relegation candidates, they instead secured qualification for next season’s Champions League for the first time in their history. At the heart of their success is Dovbyk, firing more than 20 La Liga goals and leading the club’s scoring charts.

Joining from Dnipro-1 last summer for a club record fee, he will be heading to Germany full of confidence after his club exploits. He already has form on the major tournament stage, scoring in added-time against Sweden to send Ukraine through to the quarter-finals of the 2020 iteration.

Mykhailo Mudyrk

Caps (goals): 18 (2)

Position: Winger

Club: Chelsea

The most expensive Ukrainian player ever, Mykhailo Mudryk joined Chelsea in 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk for an initial reported fee of £62 million. A supremely gifted winger, Mudryk is one of the fastest players in the world, exhibiting explosive acceleration and a stunning ability to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye.

He has shown flashes of his capabilities in his time at Chelsea as he has adapted to life in new surroundings and a new league. His raw, direct pace makes life a misery for defenders and Mudryk was a key figure as Ukraine progressed to the 2024 European Championships – the pivotal moment coming as he scored the winner in the 2-1 play-off win over Iceland.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Caps (goals): 60 (9)

Position: Midfielder

Club: Arsenal

Before he became Ukraine’s youngest-ever captain when he skippered the side against France at the age of just 24, Oleksandr Zinchenko had already beaten legendary Andriy Shevchenko’s youngest goalscorer record aged 19.

Zinchenko was named Ukrainian Player of the Year in 2019 and domestically has won the Premier League on four occasions with Manchester City as well as four EFL Cups and an FA Cup in 2018-19. Capable of playing at left-back or in midfield, Zinchenko will be a key figure if Ukraine are to achieve success in 2024.

Ukraine’s Previous Performances in the Euros

Before 1992, Ukraine competed in the European Championships as part of the Soviet Union. Here are their performances in full, from 1992 onwards, as the nation of Ukraine:

• 1992: Did not qualify

• 1996: Did not qualify

• 2000: Did not qualify

• 2004: Did not qualify

• 2008: Did not qualify

• 2012: Group stage (third in Group D)

• 2016: Group stage (bottom of Group C)

• 2020: Quarter-finals (lost 4-0 to England)

Expectations

A team with genuine individual talent, Ukraine have a clear chance of reaching the knockout stages. While Belgium will be tough opponents, they are not unbeatable and both Slovakia and Romania certainly represent opportunities to pick up points.

The biggest challenge could be finishing second and facing France or the Netherlands in the round of 16, though that is one of the lotteries of tournament football. Key players will need to be on form as Ukraine head to Germany and look to replicate, or better, their quarter-final performance from the 2020 competition.

Check out our Ukraine betting odds for all our latest prices throughout the European Championships.

Odds and player information correct at time of publication but subject to change