Edward Iordanescu reveals he was a candidate for Ukraine job

Former Romania national team manager Edward Iordanescu has shared details about his potential appointment as the head coach of Ukraine. The 48-year-old coach confirmed that he was included in the final shortlist of candidates and was fully prepared to accept the role.

Iordanescu provided insights into the negotiation process, noting that he had been in contact with an intermediary representing the Ukrainian Association of Football. He emphasized his openness to the project during the initial discussions.

I was on the shortlist. An intermediary approached me asking if I was ready for a collaboration, and I said "yes". The head of the Federation is Shevchenko, the list narrowed down to 2-3 names, and in the end, the offer went to the Italian who worked in Shevchenko's staff when he was the coach. They chose him because he was already there and knew what to expect from him. Edward Iordanescu

Ultimately, the Ukrainian Association of Football selected Andrea Maldera, who had previously worked in Andriy Shevchenko's coaching staff. Maldera replaced Serhiy Rebrov after the Ukraine national team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.