Andrea Maldera has been appointed as the new manager of the Ukraine national team, the Ukrainian Football Association confirmed on Monday. The 55-year-old Italian will take charge of the Zbirna, signing a two-year deal with an option for renewal. Maldera steps into the role following the dismissal of Serhiy Rebrov in April, after Ukraine failed to qualify for the World Cup and finished bottom of their group at Euro 2024.
Maldera is not unfamiliar with Ukrainian football, having previously served as an assistant coach to Andriy Shevchenko between 2016 and 2021. During Shevchenko’s tenure, Maldera reportedly became deeply connected to the nation, even getting a tattoo of the Ukrainian flag after the team qualified for Euro 2020. Shevchenko, now president of the Ukrainian Football Association, stated that Maldera “is an Italian with the soul of a Ukrainian” and understands how to develop the national team.
Prior to taking the Ukraine job, Maldera worked as an assistant to Roberto De Zerbi, accompanying him to both Brighton & Hove Albion and Olympique de Marseille. This marks Maldera’s first position as a head coach at the international level, representing a significant step in his managerial career. He will be tasked with revitalizing a Ukrainian side boasting promising talent such as Ilya Zabarnyi, Artem Dovbyk, Viktor Tsygankov, and Georgiy Sudakov.
The appointment signals a desire to return to the World Cup, with Ukraine’s only previous appearance coming in 2006. Maldera will hope to build on the existing talent within the squad and guide them to qualification for future major tournaments. The Ukrainian Football Association will be looking for a marked improvement in performance after a disappointing recent run of results.
