'The players’ morale is sky-high' - Ukraine, at last, returns to international football

If Ukraine wins two games this week, a team made up of players who mostly have not played a competitive game for six months because of the war at home will be at the World Cup in Qatar in November.

Oleksandr Zinchenko of Manchester City celebrates with the Premier League trophy and a Ukrainian flag. Zinchenko will now turn his attention towards helping his war torn country qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.

When Ukraine’s unusual path through World Cup qualifying resumes this week, it serves as a rejection of the idea that sports and politics must not mix.

While Russia was thrown out of qualifying over its war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian national team was given several months extra to prepare for the European play-off matches.