It is not often a footballer is emotional after scoring but the image of Andriy Yarmolenko pointing to the heavens while being reduced to tears is one many will never forget.
Plenty of goals have been read out by stadium announcers at the London Stadium but none will ever be as poignant as “A goal for West Ham and for Ukraine”.
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It is hard to fathom what the winger has endured over the past weeks. Following Russia’s invasion of his country, Yarmolenko has been granted compassionate leave. During times like these, football pales into insignificance.
“United for Ukraine” was printed on the match-day programme ahead of the 2-1 win against Aston Villa. The unity among the coaching staff, supporters, board level and squad enabled Yarmolenko to find confidence to play. The winger received a standing ovation from both sets of fans following the injury enforced-substitution of Michail Antonio.
Yarmolenko was on the field for 18 minutes when he scored his first league goal since July 26, 2020. He was embraced by his team-mates and after the full-time whistle Lukasz Fabianski ran the length of the field to hug his friend. When the forward finished his post-match interview duties, he received a standing ovation in the dressing room.
“Karren Brady has been on the phone offering help and trying to make sure we can do the right things for him,” said David Moyes. “He has family in Ukraine, family here and family in Poland. Fabianski has been a real help there, a real team effort.
“Yarmolenko helped us and played well. We have never doubted him as a footballer, he is really good, technically excellent and really pleased for him. The goal was important but the message more so.”
Since February 26, the forward has only trained four times. The constant reminders of trouble in his country and concerns over the safety of his wife, Inna, and three sons, have been far too challenging. After the victory, Yarmolenko expressed his gratitude to the London Stadium faithful.
“It was so emotional for me because of the situation in my country,” he said. “It is so difficult for me right now in this moment thinking about football because every day, the Russian army is killing Ukrainian people.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to say. I just want to say thank you to my team-mates, who support me all the time, every day. To West Ham fans, they also support me and Ukrainian people and also to all British people, because we feel you support us. Thank you, really.”
Although Yarmolenko has been unable to feature in recent matches, his team-mates have gone the extra mile. Captain Mark Noble organised a tribute before the 1-0 win against Wolves on February 27. Yarmolenko’s name was printed onto every player’s warm-up top. Declan Rice also held up the shirt as both sides lined up to express their support.
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“I don’t think anyone can put into perspective what Andriy has been through in the last couple of weeks,” said Noble. “It’s horrendous and knowing Yarma as I do – he’s a fantastic person and a great lad around the changing room. For him to have his family stuck there for a while was awful.
“Thank God they’re with him now. I think he needed a bit of time to clear his head because what’s happening in his country is so sad.”
Yarmolenko was born in Russia to Ukrainian parents, who moved back to their homeland when he was a child. His parents were from just outside Chernihiv but had moved to St Petersburg, then called Leningrad, for work. Andriy was born in Soviet Russia in 1989, but identifies as Ukrainian. Shortly after his birth, his parents returned to their native Chernihiv, and as the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukraine gained its independence in 1991.
From a young age, the forward had always wanted to become a professional footballer. On each of his lower arms, the 32-year-old has a tattoo depicting a young boy holding a football and looking towards Catherine’s Church in Chernihiv, the town where he grew up in northern Ukraine.
The winger was earmarked as the “new Shevchenko” having become a legend at Dynamo Kyiv, scoring 137 goals in 341 appearances in all competitions. Yarmolenko joined West Ham in the summer of 2018 from Borussia Dortmund. He has scored 12 goals in 76 cup and league appearances. But his four-year spell has been disrupted by injuries often curtailing his progress.
His injury-time winner against Chelsea in July 2020 remains the standout moment. It was of huge importance which enabled Moyes’ side to secure their Premier League status for another season. For staff at West Ham, however, it is Yarmolenko’s endearing personality that has left a lasting impression.
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When the forward recovered from the achilles injury that kept him out for most of 2018-19, he took staff — mainly the physios — out for dinner to say thank you for what they had done for him.
After nine months on the sidelines, Yarmolenko scored in his third game back against Norwich City. He ran to the bench and hugged members of the physio team. This shows the type of person he is.
Victory against Aston Villa helped West Ham sustain their push for a European berth.
But the sight of an emotional Yarmolenko making his club and country proud is one many will savour.
(Top photo: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)