UKRAINE

Anniversary Shirt 2019

Matchprepared for Yevgen Konoplyanka 10.09.2019 UKR 🇺🇦 : NGR 🇳🇬 2-2

Manufacturer: Joma

Source: Collector

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THE COUNTRY

Did you know that Ukraine invented masochism? Well, kind of:

Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, after whom the term was coined, was born in Lviv, then part of the Austrian Empire.

The most masochistic the Ukrainian national team has ever been, was probably their recent 7-1 defeat against world champion France. If this caused great sexual pleasure among the players is not documented, head coach and Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko, however, didn’t look too aroused when the game was finished…

Apart from this shattering defeat, the Ukrainian team is actually the most successful former Soviet country after their Russian neighbors. Despite only qualifying for a single World Cup in 2006, where the team reached the quarter finals, they have now clinched their third consecutive EURO participation.

THE SHIRT

I do like it when teams wear an unexpected design, especially in colors that are usually not associated with the respective team.

In 2019, the Ukrainian side entered the pitch in a special white and gold shirt, commemorating an event, that I wasn’t able to find out during my research…

Be that as it may, they certainly looked great! The friendly against Nigeria finished in a 2-2 draw and while no side was able to secure the win, a special shirt was put up for auction to generate money for a brave boy suffering from cancer. While my shirt wasn’t this special shirt, it is nevertheless a matchworn or prepared specimen from this special event. Made for national team veteran and former Bundesliga player Yevgen Konoplyanka, the shirt features the match details of said game as well as some shiny golden numbers on the front and back, making it a fancy design that some nerdy football shirt geek might consider wearing for his wedding.

Ukraine at their anniversary game against Nigeria in 2019.