Children of Servicemen Undergoing Rehabilitation at RECOVERY Centers Led the National Teams of Ukraine and Azerbaijan Onto the Pitch in Krakow

1On October 13 in Krakow, at the Cracovia Stadium, during the Ukraine vs Azerbaijan match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the players were led onto the pitch by children of servicemen undergoing rehabilitation after injuries at the national RECOVERY rehabilitation centers network.

Thanks to the Ukrainian Association of Football and the RECOVERY project, founded by Viktor Pinchuk and Olena Pinchuk to support Ukraine’s security and defense forces, the children visited a major stadium for the first time and fulfilled their dream of watching the Ukraine national team live.

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Among these children were also the sons and daughters of veterans, who, for the first time after their parents’ rehabilitation, were able to travel together - making it a truly special moment of unity.

“I was very nervous when I walked onto the pitch with the players. I was afraid I might get lost, and I was trembling because it was my first time. I was so excited - there were so many famous players around! It felt like my whole life depended on how I stepped onto the field,” shared Katia, who led Oleksii Hutsuliak onto the pitch - the scorer of Ukraine’s first goal against Azerbaijan.

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“I’m happy that I was able to go on such a trip. When I walked onto the pitch with the players, I was shaking a lot - I was a little scared. But it’s not scary! The players just held your hand and walked out with you. And then, when the Ukrainian anthem played, they put a hand on your shoulder, and we sang together,” said Illia, who led Artem Dovbykonto the pitch.

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“It was really awesome! I loved it so much! I’d love to do it again. Thank you,” said Matvii, who led Azerbaijan national team captain Emin Mahmudov onto the pitch.

Matvii’s father has been faithfully serving Ukraine for over 10 years.

It is also worth noting that among the children was Rostyslav, the son of Maksym Soroka, a player of the amputee football team MSC “Dnipro” (Cherkasy). Maksym took his military oath in 2015, and in September 2024 he suffered a severe injury from an FPV drone strike, which resulted in the loss of his leg. During his rehabilitation at RECOVERY, he stepped onto the pitch for amputee football training for the first time. Now Maksym has two families - his own and his football family - which gives him the strength to move forward.

After the opening ceremony, the children joined their parents in the stands and passionately cheered for the Ukraine national team.

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