In a friendly match against the Poland national team, the Ukrainian national team demonstrated not only a will to win but also made history. The central event of the match was Andriy Yarmolenko's return to the starting lineup and his incredible goal, which rewrote the record book of Ukrainian football.
Triumphant return under Maldera's leadership
Andriy Yarmolenko took to the field in the blue and yellow kit as captain, which became a symbol of trust from the new head coach Andrea Maldera. For the winger, this was his first full match for the national team in a long time. His last appearance for the national team was on March 23, 2025, in a match against Belgium (0:3), where he spent only one minute on the pitch. The previous coach, Serhiy Rebrov, practically ignored the experienced player, but Maldera brought him back into the squad, and this decision was more than justified.
A goal that went down in history
The decisive moment came towards the end of the first half. Yarmolenko spectacularly finished a cross from Viktor Tsygankov, doubling Ukraine's lead in the match. This goal was not just a contribution to the victory but a historic achievement. At the moment of the strike, Andriy was 36 years and 220 days old, making him the oldest goalscorer in the history of the Ukrainian national team.
Previously, the record belonged to the legend of world football, Andriy Shevchenko. At Euro 2012, he scored his last goal against Sweden at the age of 35 years and 256 days. Now this barrier has been officially overcome, and Yarmolenko's name is inscribed in history as a symbol of longevity and mastery.
On the path to the country's main record
The significance of the goal goes beyond the age-related achievement. This precise strike became Yarmolenko's 47th goal for the national team in his career. He has come very close to the country's main scoring record, which Andriy Shevchenko has held for decades with 48 goals.
The situation for Ukrainian football fans is becoming thrilling: the captain needs to score just one more goal to equal the legend, and two to head the list of top scorers in the history of the national team alone. There are still many matches ahead, and each of them could be decisive in this race for the title of top scorer.