This summer started at a frantic pace for Rustam Khudzhamov. As the goalkeeper coach for Ukraine's national team, he is actively preparing for the European Championship. Intensive training sessions ahead of two important friendly matches and three games in the final part of Euro 2024 require maximum concentration and attention. At the same time, there is intense work on the new collection of Brave GK goalkeeper gloves, in which Khudzhamov plays a key role.
How are the training sessions of Ukraine's national team going? What will the new Brave GK glove collection be like? Which goalkeeper in the team does Khudzhamov consider the best? Read all about this in our new article.
On Friday, June 7, in Warsaw, Ukraine's national team will play another friendly match against Poland. This is already the second match in preparation for the European Championship. A few days earlier, our team had a tough match against Germany, the hosts of Euro 2024, at the Max-Morlock-Stadion in Nuremberg.
On June 3, Ukraine's national team played its first friendly match in preparation for the tournament. Notably, on June 3, Serhiy Rebrov turned 50 years old. A year ago, he made his debut as the head coach of the national team in a match against Germany. In this match, Rebrov conducted several personnel and tactical experiments, including on Zinchenko's position.
The first dangerous moment was created by the Ukrainians: Mudryk started a counterattack, but his shot was blocked, and Tsygankov missed on the rebound. The Germans responded with a miss from Mittelstädt and began to put more pressure on our team. Subsequently, Gündoğan missed from a good position, and Wirtz sent the ball over the goal.
Ukraine responded with a long-range miss from Stepanenko. Then the Germans set up Gross for a good shot, but he missed. In the 38th minute, Tsygankov intercepted the ball from Tah and passed it to Yaremchuk in the penalty area, but he couldn't beat Neuer. The hosts had a chance with Musiala, but the ball deflected off the post. Just before halftime, Yaremchuk attempted to beat Neuer again.
In the second half, the Germans began to play more aggressively, pinning our team back. Fortunately, goalkeeper Trubin and the defenders acted confidently, blocking the opponents' shots. The Ukrainians responded with a decent run by Mudryk, but Neuer stopped him. In the 60th minute, after an excellent pass, Beer hit the crossbar. Soon Trubin handled a dangerous shot from Beer and neutralized Undav's attempt.
Towards the end of the match, the hosts attacked again, and Trubin saved a powerful shot from Führich and a dangerous shot from Beer. Ukraine had a chance but couldn't capitalize on Neuer's mistake in the center of the field. Later, Neuer redeemed himself by stopping Yarmolenko's shot in the near corner. In stoppage time, Trubin stopped Undav again. The match ended in a goalless draw, 0-0.
Interviewer: Yesterday, in the match against Germany, Anatoliy Trubin had a lot of work. How do you evaluate his performance in this match?
Khudzhamov: Everyone saw that this match was really excellent in terms of quality and performance from Anatoliy. So it was great, we continue to work further.
Interviewer: What rating would you give him on a 12-point scale?
Khudzhamov: Goalkeepers are like children. If you praise one, others may not understand it. Anatoliy did what he had been preparing for since childhood in goal. He played well, showed himself well, and felt good. So I won't give a rating; his performance speaks for itself.
Interviewer: There is a very good competition for the goalkeeper position now. How pleasant is this kind of headache for a goalkeeper coach?
Khudzhamov: It's great when you have three goalkeepers in the squad, and there are still goalkeepers in Ukraine who can be involved. Now we have Dmytro Riznyk and Bohdan Sarnavskyi, who moved from the Polish First League to the top. We've always had great goalkeepers, and when there's a choice, it's very good.
Interviewer: Lunin, Trubin, Bushchan - all these keepers have good practice in their clubs. Is this game tone felt in training?
Khudzhamov: Of course, a person acts and feels differently when they play constantly. This is felt even in conversation - confidence is always present.
Interviewer: Late last night, Lunin joined the team. Have you already had a conversation with him, and what can you say about his season?
Khudzhamov: There hasn't been a conversation yet, but even if there had been, I wouldn't bring it into the public space. We congratulated him on winning the Champions League; his contribution was great. Well done, good season.
Interviewer: In the first match, Anatoliy Trubin was in goal. Are you planning a rotation in the upcoming matches?
Khudzhamov: Yes, there will be rotation. All goalkeepers will play a full match. It's fair to see the condition of each goalkeeper.
Interviewer: Almost a month in training, a lot of practice. How does a goalkeeper coach prepare for training, come up with exercises?
Khudzhamov: Every coach must prepare for training, and all this is worked out. I understand that some goalkeepers may lack something, I constantly ask about their condition, add what's needed. If there's uncertainty in some aspect, we work on it. I prepare, understand who we will play against, the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents.
Interviewer: Finally, tell us one strongest side of each of our goalkeepers.
Khudzhamov: We have great guys, a wonderful atmosphere, and everyone works well. If there are any shortcomings, I discuss them individually. Believe in us, we will continue to work and hope to please everyone.
Waking up in the Polish capital after returning from Germany, the blue-yellow team had a day full of events.
In the morning, the team focused on tactics and analysis of the past match against the German national team. Then there was a meeting with representatives of the UEFA CPR Goal program, which teaches footballers first aid skills on the field. Players are often the first to be near a colleague who has lost consciousness or experienced a heart attack. Therefore, to avoid causing harm and to provide emergency assistance in critical moments, this program was created. Players learned to determine if a person is breathing, how to properly position their head, and how to perform artificial respiration. The training was conducted in groups, and each could practice movements on special mannequins. The players approached the session seriously, without losing their sense of humor.
In the evening, there was a game training session on the field of the First League Poland club "Polonia" in Warsaw. Most of the players are already familiar with this stadium, as the national team trained here during one of the autumn camps in 2022. The training began with a run and warm-up, then the players traditionally worked in squares "4 on 2." After that, the team was divided into two groups. One group performed stretching and core exercises, while the other practiced passing with tactical tasks. Then the groups switched places. In the final part of the training, the players split into three groups: one played tennisball, and the other two practiced set-pieces.
On Thursday, June 6, Ukraine's national team will hold an official training session before the friendly match against Poland at the National Stadium. At 17:30, head coach Serhiy Rebrov and team captain Andriy Yarmolenko will meet with the press in the arena's conference hall. At 18:00, the training will begin, and the first 15 minutes will be open to the media.
Although Rustam Khudzhamov is now actively engaged in preparing Ukraine's national team for Euro 2024, Brave GK continues to develop a new collection of goalkeeper gloves. Our specialists continue to work on new models, implementing the latest technologies and materials. Carefully analyzing customer feedback and their own observations, we strive to create products that meet the highest standards of quality and comfort.
We closely monitor the latest achievements in sports equipment, conduct detailed analysis of various materials and technologies, and test them in conditions as close to the game as possible. Our experts tirelessly work to ensure that each pair of gloves meets the highest standards, providing goalkeepers with maximum comfort and reliability in any conditions.
The Brave GK Venom 2024 gloves are unique gloves specially designed for the 2024 European Championship. This is an exclusive model: it will not be re-released, making each pair special.
These gloves stand out with their modern and stylish design in the colors of the national flag of Ukraine. The upper part is decorated with geometric elements in blue and yellow, creating a unique and bright visual image.
Made of high-quality materials, the gloves provide maximum protection and comfort for the goalkeeper. The inner surface of the palm is made of 4 mm elite SUPREME latex with a foam lining, ensuring a secure grip and cushioning. The Roll Hybrid cut guarantees excellent fit and support, while special Fix Fit silicone inserts inside the palm provide unmatched ball control.
The back of the gloves is made of high-quality neoprene, which effectively absorbs impacts and increases durability. The improved latex-free construction on the cuffs significantly increases the gloves' strength. The removable strap allows individual adjustment to the goalkeeper's needs. The absence of protective inserts makes the gloves lightweight and flexible, providing freedom of movement for the goalkeeper.
In the photos in this article, you can see Brave GK Venom Black goalkeeper gloves from the latest collection: Rustam Khudzhamov notes that this model is perfect for playing on wet fields. These gloves, which you can buy in our online store now, are equipped with a 4 mm layer of elite SUPREME latex and a 4 mm foam lining. The innovative Roll Hybrid cut provides convenience and support, maximizing ball contact. Special Fix Fit silicone inserts inside the palm ensure unmatched ball control. The back of the gloves is made of high-quality neoprene, which effectively absorbs impacts. The improved latex-free construction on the cuffs increases strength and durability. The removable strap allows individual adjustment of the gloves' fit. The modern design includes a stylish combination of black and blue colors.
