ENGLAND players and fans have united to honour Ukraine with a poignant tribute ahead of tonight’s Euro qualifier.
Players from both teams called for peace before the match in a powerful show of solidarity, holding a Ukrainian flag with the word “peace” written on it.
Harry Kane led his Three Lions’ teammates in sending a message of peace following Russia’s invasion of the country.
Wembley erupted in a sea of blue and yellow as the Ukrainian flag was beamed across the stadium.
The Ukrainian team draped themselves in flags as they took to the pitch.
Fans held Ukrainian flags aloft as an emotional rendition of the national anthem echoed through the stadium.
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Former Blues star and ex-Ukraine boss Andriy Shevchenko shared his moving thoughts on the Ukrainian people before the match kicked off: “In very difficult moments, we have united all together.”
England’s record goal scorer and team captain Harry Kane said on Channel 4: “It’s been a magical few days after the amazing result the other night. We’ve had a few days to settle down and recover well to look forward to an important game.”
He emphasised the significance of the match against Ukraine tonight: “It will be a special night. I will have my wife and kids with me walking out to have a picture. We’ve got an important game so I’m trying not to think about it too much.”
Tribute was also paid to Jack Leslie, who was dropped from the 1925 England squad because of his skin colour.
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His family was presented with the posthumous honorary England cap.
England boss Gareth Southgate told Kelly Somers on Channel 4: “We’re clearly hugely respectful of everything that’s happening [in Ukraine]. There’s a lot of tributes, sympathies and support for Ukraine.
“It is a game of football and there are of course a lot of important things going on in the world but our focus has to remain on this. “
More than 1,000 refugees and their host families have been invited to tonight’s game as special guests.
The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) joined with the FA to secure the free tickets as a thank you to Brit families who opened their doors to refugees.
Bear Grylls, who recently travelled to Ukraine to create a documentary on the war and interview Volodymyr Zelensky, also attended the game.
Around 4,200 Ukraine fans will be cheering their country on when the game kicks off at 5pm.
It is the first time time the team has played England since Euro 2020 when they lost 4-0.
The team faced a nightmare 16-hour trip to Wembley for the match after the war closed Ukrainian airspace.
Some of the starting 11 endured a gruelling 11 hour and 45 minute train journey from Ukraine capital Kyiv to Przemysl in Poland.
That was followed by a 50-mile, two-hour bus trek to Rzeszow in south-eastern Poland.
Then came a two hour and nine minute Ryanair flight to London Stansted before another 70-mile, 90-minute bus ride to the team’s Syon Park Hilton hotel.
Roslan Rotan’s squad have been training Brentford’s base in London since Monday.
The team have faced a number of other issues – including having to play in empty stadiums and air-raid siren interruptions.
But Rotan insists any challenges are dwarfed by their “defenders and warriors” facing Russian invaders on the front line.
Tonight’s match comes just over a year after Vladimir Putin stunned the world when he sent troops across the border.
His brutal invasion saw hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians displaced as the war raged on.
An FA spokesman said before the game: “The occasion is an opportunity to show solidarity with the Three Lions’ opponents.
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“Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, the football world has come together and Sunday’s fixture will welcome some of those displaced from their own country.
”Both sets of players will come together before kick-off to send a message of peace.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
