Youth Spotlight — Valeriy Bondar
When it comes to young Ukrainian football stars, the first names that come to mind for most are Viktor Kovalenko, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Maryan Shved, etc. These players have already made names for themselves and have established their games at the senior levels, but if you look even younger in the ranks of Ukrainian football, there are still some gems to be found. While they are still young and it is difficult to say how good they will be ten years from now, there is no doubt that some of these players have high potential.
One of these youth stars is Valeriy Bondar, a centre-back and captain for both Shakhtar Donetsk U-17 and the U-17 Ukrainian National Team. Bondar, who has been praised by many for his leadership, captained Ukraine in the U-17 Euro Championships recently, in which Ukraine handily beat Finland and Turkey, and drew with England and Germany. Bondar, along with talented goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, was the backbone of Ukraine’s poised defense. He is very vocal, commanding his teammates to the best of his abilities and is a smart defender.
We were lucky enough to ask Valeriy a few questions about football. Check out the interview below:
Futbol Ukraine: Valeriy, you were captain of the U-17 Ukrainian National Team that had success in the Euro Championship. Do you think this team has a bright future?
Valeriy Bondar: Yes, we have a very good team. The main thing I want to note is that we are a very friendly team who plays for each other. In this national team, there is no Dynamo, no Shakhtar, or even other teams. In that sense, we are very good. I think we have a team that will do very well in the future, there is already a goal to make the Euro Championships in the U-19 division. It seems to me that if we continue to be a team, as we have all along, then it will be hard for teams to beat us. I’ll also point out the collective actions and instructions from the coaches.
FU: Who is your favorite footballer?
VB: My favorite football player is Thiago Silva. I like the fact that he is the leader of his team. He is a very intelligent player and has many different leadership qualities. His character is very strong, and it is hard to play against him — I try to emulate his style.
FU: Which footballer do you think you play like?
VB: I would say I play like Silva, I want to be like him. I like the quality of his game and try to move on the field like him. I also want to mention Ramos, who is a very strong defender and one of the best in the world, I think.
FU: Is there a certain club you dream of playing for?
VB: Of course, my favorite club is Barcelona. While I associate my future with Shakhtar, I of course want to play somewhere else in Europe, in top leagues like in Germany or England.
FU: What do you think your strengths are as a footballer?
VB: I do not want to speak for myself because I do not judge myself, and I think people see my qualities and they know my qualities better. When I think of my qualities, I want to be a leader on the field and there I will develop my best qualities and the ones I have now.
FU: Lastly, what is your greatest memory in football?
VB: I have had a lot of good moments in life and in football. I think the greatest memory is my first two finals in the Ukrainian Championship that we won. And, of course, when we made it to the Euros. These were unforgettable emotions, and it was unforgettable happiness as this was my first major tournament. We were aiming for this achievement and we did it as a team. I’m hoping there will be many more memories.
FU: Thank you very much, Valeriy! We wish you luck in the future.
VB: Thank you!
Valeriy still has many years to play in his young career, but it is difficult not to get excited about the potential of the young defender. Stay tuned and follow @FutbolUkraine for more!
