Ukraine is in the European Championship to win football matches. But also to remind the world about the war that is plaguing the country.
It's a war we're fighting for the whole of Europe, says national team captain Sergej Rebrov.
Patriotic songs and thousands of Ukrainians in exile met the Ukrainian national team when the first training session on German soil was held ahead of the European Championship.
The Ukrainians are training in Wiesbaden near the American military base where the coordination of arms deliveries from Ukraine's allies takes place, so that the country can resist the Russian invasion.
And in the Ukrainian national team, the war is as present as football for players and leaders.
We must talk about this. I know that some are tired of news about the war, but we continue to fight and need your support, says Sergej Rebrov.
Arsenal player Oleksandr Zintjenko was also in the European Championship 2021, when Ukraine reached the quarterfinals after beating Sweden. It was also the last summer before the Russian attack in February the following year.
For them, it's super tough, for us, it's clearly an extra motivation. We all know who's behind us. We must show our best, he says.
Taras Stepanenko, who has played for Ukrainian top club Sjachtar Donetsk since 2010:
Every day, I see messages on my phone about air raids. So every morning, I call my parents to ask if everything is okay. We've lived in this situation for almost three years. It's so hard.
Later, Ukraine will also face Slovakia and the group's clear favourite, Belgium.
I hope the people in Ukraine have electricity so they can watch the matches on TV when we play, says Ruslan Malinovskyj.
