This content comes from our friends at Sportskind.
Soccer’s official reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been decisive, with UEFA and FIFA suspending Russian teams from all competitions. The unofficial response has been equally firm, with the compassionate side of soccer once again front and center.
On the weekend after the invasion began, fans, players, and officials united in gestures of support at games across Europe and North America. At many stadiums, team colors flew alongside Ukrainian flags, draped across players’ shoulders in the pre-game and waved by supporters in the stands.
Several Ukrainian stars were brought to tears by the outpouring of support, notably Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Everton’s Vitaly Mykolenko, whose teams met in the English Premier League, and Roman Yaremchuk of Benfica, who received a standing ovation at his team’s game in Lisbon.
Soccer sending a powerful message to the Ukrainian players and their compatriots: You are not alone.
