---
title: "Jozsef Szabo harshly criticizes the training of young football players in Ukraine"
description: "Famous coach Jozsef Szabo criticized the training of young football players in Ukraine, pointing out a lack of technique, tactical understanding, and physical fitness among youth."
date: 2026-10-26T13:56:50.699Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/jozsef-szabo-criticizes-training-young-football-players
tags: [jozsef-szabo, ukrainian-football, youth-football, sport-rbc, football-training]
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Jozsef Szabo harshly criticizes the training of young football players in Ukraine

![Former football player and coach Jozsef Szabo during an interview with a Ukrainian sports outlet](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/26/jozsef-sabo-kritikuet-podgotovku-molodyh-futbolistov/jozsef-sabo-kritikuet-podgotovku-molodyh-futbolistov-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Jozsef Szabo criticized the training level of young Ukrainian football players.
- The main problems cited are a lack of technique, physical readiness, and game comprehension.
- The war and children moving abroad create additional challenges for sports schools.
- A strong national team requires systematic youth work and infrastructure development.

Famous former Ukrainian football player and coach Jozsef Szabo has sharply criticized the youth training system in Ukraine. According to him, the current rising generation of players acutely lacks basic technique, proper physical fitness, and a deep understanding of tactical play. The veteran emphasized that without a fundamental overhaul of youth development, the national team will find it extremely difficult to achieve stable international success.

### Key problems of the Ukrainian youth school

In his recent interview, Jozsef Szabo pointed out systemic flaws hindering the progress of young talents. The expert noted that many sports school graduates lack the fundamental skills required for top-level performance. Particularly strict demands, in the specialist's view, are placed on central midfielders, who must equally reliably contribute to defense and productively organize attacking moves.

Furthermore, simply passing the ball to a teammate no longer meets the modern demands of dynamic football. After executing a pass, a player must immediately open up, offer themselves for a continued combination, foresee the development of a scoring opportunity, and actively participate in building up the attack. A lack of such tactical thinking becomes a serious obstacle for promising youth transitioning into professional adult football.

### Impact of the war and future challenges

A separate factor seriously complicating the development of domestic football remains the full-scale war. Due to hostilities, a significant portion of children and teenagers were forced to move abroad, where they continue training in academies of other countries. This creates unprecedented challenges for preserving human resources and generational continuity in Ukrainian clubs.

The veteran insists on the need for a comprehensive reform of youth sports, improved training infrastructure, and higher qualifications for youth coaches. It is critically important right now to elaborate detailed mechanisms on how to bring young athletes back to Ukrainian clubs after the war ends and utilize their potential for the benefit of national sports.

### The importance of a systemic approach for the national team

Summarizing his thoughts, Jozsef Szabo once again emphasized that the successes of the country's main team directly depend on the quality of work at the grassroots level. A strong national team cannot form by itself without hard daily labor from coaches, officials, and the players themselves. Only building a long-term reserve training strategy can secure Ukrainian football's competitiveness in the future.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- ["Сильная сборная сама не появится": Сабо разнес подготовку молодых футболистов в Украине](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/silna-zbirna-sama-z-yavitsya-sabo-roznis-1793020392.html) - The article is fully based on an exclusive interview with Jozsef Szabo published by Sport RBC.UA.

## FAQ

### Who criticized the training of young football players in Ukraine?

Famous former player and coach Jozsef Szabo made the critical remarks.

### What main problems did Szabo note among young players?

He pointed out a lack of technique, physical readiness, and game comprehension, as well as an inability to move correctly after passing the ball.

### How has the war affected Ukrainian football according to Szabo?

Some children and teenagers have left abroad and train in other countries, creating additional difficulties in preparing the new generation.