Ukrainian ministers all donned the national football team's colours for a cabinet meeting on Wednesday after Ukraine secured a clash with England in the Euro 2020 quarter-final.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wore a blue and yellow football jersey at the meeting of the Government in Kyiv, Ukraine, following the Ukraine's dramatic 2-1 win over Sweden on Tuesday night.
His entire cabinet proudly joined him in wearing the national football team's shirts at the meeting ahead of Ukraine's anticipated quarter-final match against England on Saturday in Rome.
After the team's victory against Sweden on Tuesday, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal took to Twitter to praise the 'historic victory' which has secured Ukraine's place in the quarterfinals of the Euros.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (pictured) wore a blue and yellow football jersey at the meeting of the Government in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday following the Ukraine team's victory. He was wearing the shirt of Andriy Yarmolenko, who plays for West Ham
He said: 'Historic victory of the national team of Ukraine over the team of Sweden! We are in the quarterfinals.
'This evening, all 40 million Ukrainians were with you on the field. We are proud! Glory to Ukraine!'
And Olga Stefanishyna, the deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, said she was 'proud' to wear the football shirt after the country's win last night.
She tweeted: 'Historical win for Ukraine. Was proud to wear today the shirt of the national football team.'
England will face the Ukraine on Saturday after sending Germany home with an incredible 2-0 victory at Wembley, while Prince William, Ed Sheeran and David Beckham all eagerly watched from the stands.
The Duke of Cambridge, 39, and his son George, seven, both donned formal suits as they cheered on the team, not opting to wear England's red and white shirts for the thrilling match.
His entire cabinet proudly joined him in wearing the national football team's shirts at the meeting ahead of Ukraine's anticipated quarter-final match against England on Saturday
Cabinet minister Olga Stefanishyna said she was 'proud' to wear the football shirt after the country's win against Sweden. Pictured: Cabinet posing wearing Ukraine's football jerseys
It comes after Ukraine's football manager Andriy Shevchenko said his team would not be intimidated by England's win over Germany at Wembley in their Euro 2020 last-16 clash.
The Ukrainians booked their quarter-final berth with an extra-time 2-1 win over Sweden thanks to a last-gasp goal by Artem Dovbyk after England defeated Germany on the back of second-half efforts from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane.
'England are a great team, they have a deep bench, an outstanding coaching staff and we are fully aware how tough this game is going to be,' Shevchenko told a news conference.
'I saw all their three group matches, not today's win over Germany because we had to prepare for our own game with Sweden. They are incredibly difficult to score against but their strength shouldn't scare us.
'It should motivate us because everything is possible in football as in life and we will play our hearts out to give our fans even more to cheer about.'
England are yet to concede in the tournament, having beaten Croatia and the Czech Republic 1-0 in the group stage while they also drew 0-0 with Scotland.
Man of the match Oleksandr Zinchenko, who scored Ukraine's first goal and set up the second against Sweden, heaped praise on his Manchester City team mate Sterling who has scored three of England's four goals in Euro 2020.
The Ukrainians (pictured after victory) booked their quarter-final berth with an extra-time 2-1 win over Sweden on Tuesday night, thanks to a last-gasp goal by Artem Dovbyk
Ukraine players celebrate in front of their fans after victory in extra time during the UEFA Euro 2020 round of 16 match
Ukraine's football manager Andriy Shevchenko said his team (pictured) would not be intimidated by England's 2-0 win over Germany at Wembley in their Euro 2020 last-16 clash
'Sterling is one of the best wingers in the world and right now he is making all the difference for England,' he said.
'We will need to be at our very best in defence to stop him but it will be difficult because he is on a roll.'
Zinchenko added he and the rest of the team had been under pressure to deliver against Sweden after coming under fire for poor group-stage performances, having lost to the Netherlands and Austria while beating North Macedonia.
'It was difficult for me to adjust because a lot of criticism was poured on the whole team and on me in particular.
'Today, we have proved to the whole of Europe that we can achieve our goals.'
'I would like to thank the fans, all those who managed to come to the stadium. This is a historic achievement and they should rejoice because moments like this are rare,' he added.
Your essential guide to England's quarter-final opponents: Meet Ukraine's answer to Posh and Becks, why Chicken Kievs AREN'T from Kiev, how they are BIGGER boozers than Brits...and whose president is a comedian (literally)
By Martin Robinson, chief reporter for MailOnline
England will take on Ukraine in Rome on Saturday night in the eastern European state's biggest match in its history.
The team is led by talisman and captain Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is a familiar name with football fans because he is a Manchester City player and teammate of England stars Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden.
Zinchenko lives in a Cheshire mansion with his wife, Vlada, a glamorous blonde TV journalist and model branded the world's most beautiful WAG, and they are considered Ukraine's hottest couple and dubbed the country's 'Posh and Becks'.
The largest country entirely in Europe is also one of the continent's newest, gaining independence from Russia when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 - but since 2014 it has been at war with Putin's state after he annexed Crimea. Tensions remain high in the region and Russia even claimed to open fire on a British warship last week after it passed close to the Crimean coast after the Royal Navy insisted they didn't recognise Russian claims to the region.
Ukraine's president is Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a former stand-up comedian elected in 2019. His journey to high office became life imitating art because his most famous TV role was of a school teacher who rants about corrupt politicians, which is shared by students, goes viral and he is catapulted to the presidency.
His nation is hard-drinking and sports mad, and its most famous athlete of all time is also the country's coach Andriy Shevchenko, who is the nation's record scorer, also stood in elections after he retired and is close friends with oligarch Roman Abramovich, who signed him for Chelsea.
But the chicken kiev, named after its capital, has no roots in Ukraine having been invented by a Parisian chef to impress a Russian tsar 200 years ago. Ukraine's favourite foods are borscht and burgers, and has one of the busiest McDonald's branches in the world.
With the game in Rome approaching, here's MailOnline's guide to Ukraine:
Ukraine's Posh and Becks
Ukraine's golden couple Oleksandr Zinchenko with his wife, Vlada, a TV journalist and model
Vlada Zinchenko takes a picture inside the stadium prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group C match between Ukraine and North Macedonia a fortnight ago
TV presenter Vlada Sedan posted this image to her Instagram, of the pair in the national arena when they became engaged in 2019
Zinchenko broke interview protocol with TV reporter Sedan when Ukraine beat Serbia 5-0 - and their relationship blossomed soon after
Vlada is an outspoken journalist who slammed her husband's manager Pep Guardiola on TV
Manchester City star Oleksandr Zinchenko is the team's biggest star, current captain and married to a woman considered the world's most beautiful WAG.
Zinchenko's wife, Vlada Sedan works as a TV reporter for Ukrainian TV covering the football team her left-footed husband leads and they have been known to kiss during post-match interviews.
In 2019, after he helped his side to Euro 2020 qualification with a win over Portugal, he proposed to his girlfriend at his country's national stadium in Kiev.
They live together in a Cheshire mansion in an area dominated by footballers
