It is impossible to talk about Ukraine's Euro 2024 campaign without the ongoing Russian invasion, and the tournament in Germany will mean far more to Serhiy Rebrov's side than simply the pursuit of sporting success.

Ukraine's players and coaching staff will head into the competition keenly aware of their role as ambassadors for the war-torn country.

But the nation also possesses a talented, in-form squad of stars who could stage a deep run at the European Championships, with the likes of Viktor Tsygankov, Andriy Lunin and Artem Dovbyk all improving significantly at club level and becoming key players within the international set-up.

Of course, Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko remains as important as ever and is deemed a Ukraine veteran at the age of just 27, having chalked up over 60 caps for his country.

Here's everything you need to know about Ukraine ahead of the tournament. 

Ukraine have already finalised their 26-player squad for the Euros in Germany this summer

Who is the manager?

The Zbirna - as Ukraine are known back home - are spearheaded by former international Rebrov, who amassed some 75 appearances for his country and scored 15 goals in the process.

Rebrov's is a name that will be familiar to Tottenham fans of a particular vintage, having spent four years on the books at White Hart Lane from 2000-04 before spending a season at cross-town rivals West Ham. 

While he never managed to truly break free of the shadow of the great Andriy Shevchenko up front for Ukraine as a player, he has proven to be a hugely successful manager at almost every turn. 

With national league titles in the UAE, Hungary and Ukraine, Rebrov's credentials have stood him in good stead at the head of the Ukrainian national team, having lost just once in his 10 games in charge. 

That defeat came against European champions Italy in 2023, and Rebrov's side have managed six wins and three draws - against Germany, England and Italy no less - in their other nine games in a hugely successful qualification campaign. 

Who is the star man?

It has been a brilliant year for Ukrainian talent across Europe, with Tsygankov and Dovbyk starring for Spanish upstarts Girona, Zinchenko and Illia Zarabnyi thriving in the Premier League and Lunin breaking into the Real Madrid side. 

Veteran Andriy Yarmolenko is the leader of the side, wearing the armband at the Euros this summer, but Tsygankov and Dovbyk will be the real threat in attack, with a combined 32 goals and 15 assists in LaLiga this term. 

Dovbyk at 1.89m presents a torment of a task for defenders to handle, while Tsygankov's pace and agility on the ball make him a slippery customer indeed for any full back unfortunate enough to come up against the winger. 

Tsygankov is now linked with a move to Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, with the player deemed the 'perfect' attacker for the Gunners who are reportedly making a £25.5million approach. It could be a massive summer for the young Ukrainian star. 

In comparison to the Ukraine sides of the last decade or so who relied on individual stars scattered across the team, Rebrov now has a very talented group at his disposal with plenty of thrills in attack, solidity at the back and control in the middle, with Zinchenko likely joined by Ruslan Malinovskyi through the centre. 

Given his Pichichi Trophy winning 24 goals for Girona in 2023-24 - that's right, he out-scored Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann - let's give it to Dovbyk. 

How did they qualify?

Well as we've already alluded to it was a strong end to qualification from Ukraine, who only missed out on an automatic spot as a result of their head-to-head record with Italy (2-1 loss, 0-0 draw) after finishing level on 14 points.

However, after an impressive Nations League campaign, the Zbirna had earned a place in the play-offs for the tournament, where they took on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the stars of Euro 2016 Iceland, beating both sides 2-1. 

What's more impressive still is the fact that Ukraine's home qualifiers were all played overseas, with the likes of Wroclaw, Leverkusen and Trnava all playing host, with the Zbirna unable to play in their own country after Russia's invasion. 

Ukraine scored 11 and conceded eight in a group that also contained powerhouses England and Italy, as well as minnows North Macedonia and Malta, before adding another four goals in the play-offs, highlighting their attacking prowess. 

Three of their four goals in the play-offs did come in the 84th minute or later, meaning that while they are fond of a goal, Ukraine will leave you hanging on the edge of your seat with plenty of late action coming from a side that just doesn't seem to know when to give in. 

Fixtures

Ukraine head into the Euros knowing that they'll have a fairly smooth start to proceedings, but it will all ratchet up to a clash with Belgium on the final day. 

As such, the Zbirna will be hoping to have booked their spot in the second round before that game, beginning against Romania on June 17 before a clash with Slovakia on June 21. 

Then comes the collision with Kevin de Bruyne and Co on June 26, which looks set to be the decider for first place. 

June 17 - Romania vs Ukraine

June 21 - Slovakia vs Ukraine

June 26 - Ukraine vs Belgium

Tournament history 

This summer will see Ukraine reach the Euros proper for the fourth time in their history, having played at the finals in each of the last three instalments.

Qualifying as hosts in 2012, Ukraine came third in a group containing England, France and bottom-placed Sweden, against whom the Zbirna earned their first win in their opening game, living legend Shevchenko scoring both the goals in a 2-1 victory. 

In France 2016 things got worse, however, and Ukraine failed to score a single goal as they slumped to a wooden spoon finish in a group with Germany, Poland and Northern Ireland, 2020 - or 2021 - proved a much more successful campaign. 

Ukraine qualified as a best third-placed team from their group behind the Netherlands and Austria, before perhaps the greatest night in the country's recent footballing history.

With penalties beckoning in the Last 16 against Sweden once again, the scores locked at 1-1, Dovbyk stepped up to fire in the winner in the 121st minute to put them through to face England in the quarter-finals, though that one ended 4-0 to the Three Lions. 

2012 - Group stage

2016 - Group stage

2020 - Quarter-finals 

Odds to win the trophy

Despite a fairly routine group and a set of players who have been wholly impressive this term, Ukraine are not so fancied by the bookies to go all the way. 

At 100/1, level with Czech Republic, only eight teams are given longer odds to go all the way in Germany this summer, according to Sky Bet.

Those eight are Albania and Georgia (500/1), Slovakia (250/1), Slovenia and Romania (200/1), Scotland, Poland and Hungary (150/1).

Squad

Goalkeepers: Heorhiy Bushchan (Dynamo Kyiv), Anatoliy Trubin (Benfica), Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid)

Defenders: Mykola Matviyenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Vitaliy Mykolenko (Everton), Illia Zabarnyi (Bournemouth), Oleksandr Tymchyk (Dynamo Kyiv), Yukhym Konoplya (Shakhtar Donetsk), Bohdan Mykhaylichenko (Polissya Zhytomyr), Valeriy Bondar (Shakhtar Donetsk), Maksym Talovyerov (LASK), Oleksandr Svatok (Dnipro-1)

Midfielders: Serhiy Sydorchuk (Westerlo), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal), Ruslan Malinovskyi (Genoa), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksandr Zubkov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Mykola Shaparenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Heorhiy Sudakov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Volodymyr Brazhko (Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards: Roman Yaremchuk (Valencia), Artem Dovbyk (Girona), Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea), Viktor Tsygankov (Girona), Vladyslav Vanat (Dynamo Kyiv), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kyiv)