Denys Antyuk: "I perceived the rebranding of Metalist 1925 positively" - about FC Kharkiv and the 2026 World Cup

Winger of FC Kharkiv Denis Antyuk exclusively for the website Sport-express.ua told about the club's rebranding, impressions of the World Cup, and his goals for the season.

Winger of FC Kharkiv Denis Antyuk was one of two players of the team who attended the event dedicated to the club's rebranding.

In an exclusive interview with the website Sport-express.ua, Denis Antyuk talked about how he perceived the rebranding of Metalist 1925, who he supports in the World Cup, which events of the tournament impressed him the most, and how many goals he would like to score in the new season.

"Missed the ball and the team as a whole."

- Denis, how are you? How is your vacation going?

- Everything is fine, rested, and getting ready for the team's training camp.

- Where did you relax?

- I was at home in Okhtyrka with my family. I also rested in Kyiv and went to Odesa.

- When is the team gathering?

- We are gathering on the 22nd and starting preparations for the new season.

- What did you miss more - your teammates or working with the ball?

- A bit of everything: the guys, the ball, and the team as a whole.

"I perceived the club's rebranding very positively."

- What do you think of the idea of rebranding the club?

- I perceived it very positively. An interesting project, I like everything that has been done: the new emblem, the new colors - everything looks very cool.

- There was already a team with that name in Kharkiv. Did you meet them?

- Yes, when I was 17-18 years old and played in Okhtyrka, we met FC Kharkiv at the training camp. I don't remember the exact details, but I remember playing against this team.

- Do you follow the World Cup?

- Yes, I watched a bit. The timing of the matches is unusual, but I follow, of course.

"Vozini's Instagram page has become very popular."

- How many World Cup matches have you watched so far?

- About five. The rest I watched in reviews. I spend more time with my family on vacation.

- Which matches or events around the World Cup have left the biggest impression on you?

- The story with the goalkeeper from Cape Verde who played brightly against Spain stood out the most. After that, his Instagram page became very popular, and the number of subscribers sharply increased.

- Have you formed an opinion on the new rules at this World Cup yet?

- So far, it all looks unusual and not entirely clear.

"I support Portugal in the 2026 World Cup."

- How do you feel about the fact that there are many draws in the tournament?

- It shows that there are almost no weak teams anymore: everyone knows how to defend and play football.

- Who are you rooting for in the World Cup?

- For Portugal. I like how this team plays, and the players there are very strong - Vitinha, Joao Neves, and others.

- And speaking of club football, which team do you like the most?

- Real Madrid.

- How do you explain that there is not a single Real Madrid player in the Spanish national team at the World Cup?

- These are the realities of modern football. They are not in the Spanish squad, but they play for other national teams.

"10 goals scored - a good result."

- Let's get back to our football. What personal goals do you set for yourself for the new season?

- The main thing for me is to help the team score goals and provide assists to win.

- How many goals would you like to score?

- As many as possible.

- Would you be satisfied with 10 goals?

- Quite. I believe that 10 goals would be a good result.