The situation in Russia and Ukraine touches the hearts of world football. Barcelona in La Liga, Liverpool and West Ham in the Premier League, Atalanta in Serie A, Benfica in the Portuguese Premier League, tens of thousands of spectators in every game... Players and fans alike expressed an "anti-war" attitude. The Ukrainian international, who plays abroad, cares about his own country and is also loved by the outside world.
Yarmolenko, who plays for West Ham, is one of many Ukrainian internationals who have played overseas. In the summer of 2018, Yarmolenko moved from Borussia Dortmund to West Ham. Although Yarmolenko has only scored five Premier League goals in the past 4 years, the Hammers fans are most concerned about Yarmolenko at special moments.
On the afternoon of February 27, the Premier League West Ham vs Wolves match. London Stadium came with 60,000 fans, and the Premier League battle was won by West Ham 1-0. The 32-year-old Ukrainian international Yarmolenko became the focus of the audience:
West Ham's home stadium
Before the match began, the giant portrait outside the London stadium was of Yarmolenko wearing the Ukrainian national team jersey.
Bless Yarmolenko
In the stands of the London Stadium, fans posed a huge portrait of Yarmolenko: "Send love and prayer to Yarmolenko".
Teammates put on Yarmolenko's No. 7
The whole West Ham team wore Yarmolenko's No. 7 shirt during training, and the teammates used this way to send care and encouragement to Yarmolenko.
Although Yarmolenko did not play, the 60,000 fans on the scene have been shouting his name and giving applause.
After the match, West Ham's Rice (England international) and Shoček (Czech Republic international) said emotionally in an interview: "After the incident broke out, we saw Yarmolenko on the training ground very uneasy and depressed. We are all with him. ”
Yarmolenko donated
On February 28, a Ukrainian football reporter broke the news that Yarmolenko had donated money to the motherland. From the pictures, Yarmolenko donated 3 million hryvnia (equivalent to $100,000) to Ukraine.
Look again at Yarmolenko's donation – 16:44 on Feb. 27, 50 minutes after West Ham's 1-0 win over Wolves. As a veteran Ukrainian international, 106 appearances for the country, scoring 44 goals (second only to Shevchenko with 48 goals), Yarmolenko's actions will move more Ukrainians.