Members of the special forces, along with children of fallen and missing Heroes, had a unique opportunity to witness a convincing victory of the Ukrainian national team over Iceland, with a score of 2:0 in the World Cup qualifiers.
This visit of 120 Ukrainians to Poland was made possible through the collaboration of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Special Operations, the Association of Special Operations Veterans, the Ukrainian Football Association, the Association of Football Veterans of Ukraine, and the Sobutskyi Family Charity Fund.
This remarkable initiative is unprecedented in Ukraine and shows how sports can support and rehabilitate military personnel.
In August of this year, a memorandum of cooperation was signed at the House of Football, and within three months, this marks the third visit of Ukrainian special forces to the national team’s matches. The units select the most deserving among them—those who bravely defend the country every day—making the trip both a getaway and a motivation to continue serving.

CHILDREN OF SPECIAL FORCES AND MOTIVATION FOR THE TEAM

«I go to You» is a well-known slogan of the Special Operations Forces. However, it is equally important that the SSO is a large, supportive family that does not leave its members alone in difficult times.
The military and their children attended the national team’s pre-match training, observed the final preparations, and interacted with UAF president Andriy Shevchenko, head coach Serhii Rebrov, and the players.
The adventure for the children continued the next day: boys and girls escorted the players of the Ukrainian and Icelandic teams onto the field, and in the roar of the stands, they sang the Ukrainian National Anthem together. Perhaps it was the children's positivity and sincerity that gave the team strength to tilt the advantage in their favor at the end of the match. Photos with the best players will become special keepsakes in family archives. In addition to football, participants enjoyed an enriching excursion program in Warsaw.

POWERFUL SUPPORT FORCE

During all home matches of the World Cup qualifiers this fall, the Ukrainian national team received support from military personnel. Gathered in the sector, SSO fighters passionately cheered for the team under the guidance of Serhii Rebrov, and the climax of the match became a true highlight of the football autumn. Our brave Heroes had the chance to relax, feel peaceful life, play football, and hear words of gratitude from legends of Ukrainian sports.
Due to military duties, the president of the AFU, Oleg Sobutskyi, could not attend the events in Warsaw, but he did everything possible to ensure that everything went smoothly.
«The cooperation between UAF, SSO, and AFU has been successful — our military have been present at all three matches, — said Oleg Sobutskyi. — Thanks to Andriy Shevchenko's comprehensive support, everything went remarkably well. The most important thing is to see the smiles of the children and the gratitude of the military for their defense and preservation of the country. There are many plans for the future regarding military rehabilitation and organizing friendly matches. The people who allow football to continue in Ukraine deserve the highest attention and support.»