Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and team officials have thanked the players of the war-torn country after it qualified for this summer’s European Championships.

“Thank you, boys! Thank you, team. If the Ukrainians have a hard time but don’t give up and keep fighting, then the Ukrainians will inevitably win,’’ Mr Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Tuesday night.

Mr Zelensky spoke of significant emotions for the entire country.

“In times when the enemy tries to destroy us, we demonstrate every day that Ukrainians are and will be. Ukraine is and will be. Thank you for the victory. Glory to Ukraine,’’ he said.

Ukraine qualified for Euro 2024 with a 2-1 comeback victory against Iceland on Tuesday. Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk scored the winner in the 84th minute.

They will play in Group E against Romania, Slovakia and Belgium at the June 14 to July 14 event in Germany.

Ukraine missed the 2022 World Cup due to a play-off defeat.

The play-off final took place in the Polish city of Wroclaw as the national teams and clubs from Ukraine could not play at home since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022.

“As the people who are defending Ukraine on the front line, you have given them a little piece of luck,” Ukraine’s football federation chief, Andriy Shevchenko, a former world-class striker, told the team in the dressing room. “Thank you very much for that. You are magnificent guys.”

Coach Serhiy Rebrov said, “Everyone understands how important this win is.

“We said both before and after the games that these victories are for our country, our people and the defenders of our freedom.’’ 

(dpa/NAN)