Ukraine's new soccer kit for Euro 2020 / Photo from the Ukrainian Football Association
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has commented on a new Ukrainian national soccer team shirt, which has sparked outrage in Russia.
"Love the new look. Glory to Ukraine!" the Embassy said on Facebook on June 7, having added the hashtag #CrimeaisUkraine.
"We know how good it feels to have a fresh new kit."
Within a few hours, the post collected over 3,000 likes.
Screenshot from facebook.com/usdos.ukraine
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Ukraine's new soccer kit for Euro 2020
- On June 6, 2021, Ukraine's new kit was unveiled days before the European Championship, Euro 2020, kicks off on June 11. The national team shirt emblazoned with a map of Ukraine that includes Crimea is designed in three colors: yellow, blue, and white.
- The front of the yellow jersey shows Ukraine's borders in white. The top of the back under the collar says: "Glory to Ukraine!". Inside the shirt, there is the slogan saying: "Glory to the Heroes!"
- Russian State Duma Deputy Dmitry Svishchev has already called on UEFA to ban the Ukrainian national team from playing at Euro 2020 in a new uniform with Ukraine's map that includes Crimea. And ex-boxer Nikolai Valuev said: "This is an attempt to politicize sports, this is ugly." The Russian Foreign Ministry also responded to Ukraine's new soccer kit – its spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Telegram that the slogans were nationalistic.
- However, UEFA approved the new uniform for the Ukrainian national team.
- Ukraine play their opening Euro 2020 match against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on June 13, and also face Austria and North Macedonia in Group C.
