Yaroslav Shevchenko: I continue to improve myself every day. It is very important not to slow down

Kryvyi Rih Kryvbas midfielder Yaroslav Shevchenko talked about the current UPL season and his plans for the future.

- Yaroslav, this spring you became one of the main players of Kryvbas. What has changed in your work now, if you compare it with the autumn part of the season?

- I can’t say that there have been any global changes. I continue to improve myself every day. It is very important not to slow down, even when there is some progress.

- Patrick van Leeuwen is known for his ability to work with young players. What words does he find for you and your playing progress?

- Yes, Patrick and I constantly communicate, he works separately after training. Patrick tells us what he wants to see from players in this position and from me in particular. We constantly analyze moments from the game or from training, so that in the future it would be easier for me to integrate the requirements of the coaching staff directly on the field and bring it to automatism.

- How would you describe your human relationships with the Latin American legionnaires of Kryvbas? Why do they teach you?

- The guys are positive, always emotional. But we understand that they do this not out of anger, but because they have a different mentality. Now we communicate through an interpreter, because we haven't started learning Spanish yet.

- In the match against Kudrivka, you scored the winning goal for your team. Did you have a premonition before the game that your action would be effective?

- I really wanted to go on the field in that match, to help the team. Perhaps this desire of mine was converted into a goal scored. I am very happy that I brought victory to my team.

- You made your UPL debut in the match against Dynamo in 2024. What advice would you give to your then self?

- I remember that match with Dynamo. It was the first push in adult football. And also a debut against such a team and such players. What would you advise? I would probably advise you to work constantly so that there are more such positive emotions. And the most important thing is not to pay attention to some trifles. You should always move only forward.

- It often happens that a football player's playing number is not chosen by chance. Does your number eight on your back symbolize something for you?

- Yes, there is a certain symbol here. I have simply been playing under the number eight for a long time: both in Dnipro, and in Poland, and now I play in Kryvbas. If you turn the number eight horizontally, it symbolizes infinity. I like this meaning.

- Was there a moment in your life when you could have left football and done something else?

- Of course, many football players sometimes have such stupid thoughts. For example, I got injured and my head starts to go crazy. It is important to communicate with smart people here, this is just one of the moments in a career. You have to go a long way to achieve something in this sport.

- Who and under what circumstances invited you to Kryvbas?

- I played for a Polish team and in the summer I went home for the holidays to Kremenchuk. At that time, Kryvbas signed a cooperation agreement with DVUFC. The guys who were in Dnipro came to the Kryvbas U-19 team. My coach, Artem Oleksandrovych Pelishenko, called me and said that now the U-19 has a set of guys born in 2006. They would like to see and review me. I came, worked hard, everyone liked everything and I stayed.

Media of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih according to the materials Football.ua