Before the decisive playoff match against Sweden, Ukraine’s national team faced an unpleasant situation: the team was robbed at the hotel where the players were preparing for the game. The incident occurred earlier this week in Benidorm, Spain, where the Ukrainians were staying ahead of the important match.
This is reported by Finway
Circumstances of the Theft
As reported by sports blogger Ihor Burbas, unknown individuals broke into the rooms of the players, coaching staff, and team administrators. The thieves took both cash and expensive watches and valuables. In particular, 1,800 euros were stolen from the assistant coach of Serhiy Rebrov, Alberto Bosch. The value of some watches is estimated in the thousands of euros.
“Unknown individuals broke into the rooms and robbed the players and coaching staff. They took both money and expensive items, watches valued in the thousands of euros. For example, 1,800 euros were stolen from Alberto Bosch, assistant to Serhiy Rebrov. What kind of mood can the team have after this?” – said Burbas on the BurВuzz YouTube channel.
Consequences for the Team
The incident occurred just a few days before the crucial match, negatively impacting the psychological state of the players and coaching staff. In the match against Sweden, Serhiy Rebrov’s team lost 1-3. The only goal for Ukraine was scored by debutant Matviy Ponomarenko in the last minute of the game. The defeat eliminated the team’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.