A piece of a Kharkiv stadium, destroyed by Russian bombs, was exhibited in Munich before the Ukrainian national team’s first European Championship match against Romania in Germany.
Andriy Shevchenko, the chair of the Ukrainian Football Federation, was present for the event, expressing his feelings, saying, "Being here carries enormous significance to me. We kick-off our tournament today, united on the field, and defended by the millions of soldiers back home."
The temporary exhibition was unveiled at a central square in Munich, the Bavarian capital. Munich has sustained a city partnership with Kyiv since 1989, with hundreds of Ukrainian supporters in attendance.
The showcased fragment is from a stadium, built in 2011 for serving as the training field during the 2012 European Championships, which had a seating capacity of 5,000. The arena has been inoperable since May 2022.
The Ukrainian Football Federation emphasised that 77 stadiums within Ukraine have been ruined since the onset of the conflict. Over 500 sports facilities have also been damaged by the bombardments, forcing numerous Ukrainian athletes to train abroad. This includes preparations ahead of the Paris Olympics (26 July -11 August).
The stadium piece will next be displayed in Düsseldorf on Friday, ahead of Ukraine’s second group match against Slovakia. Another showcase will follow in Stuttgart on 26 June before Ukraine’s final group match against the Red Devils.
