During the match between Ukraine and Belgium, fans held up a banner displaying 182 photos of fallen Ukrainian soldiers who were football fans.
Although Ukraine was eliminated from the group stage of Euro 2024, the team has left a great impact in the millions of people who follow the competition throughout Europe.
During his last game, against Belgiumthe fans rose a portrait of Nazariy Hryntsevicha Ukrainian soldier who died in the war in Ukraine and who was a football fan.
The banner, on which you could read the phrase “peace has a price“, he recalled the cost of war, since there are countless the Ukrainian lives that have been lost for defending his country since it was invaded by Russia on February 24, 2022.
The image of Hryntsevich, codenamed “Hrienka,” was generated using artificial intelligence (AI) and photos from another 182 Ukrainian soldiers fallenall of them known to be avid supporters of their local football clubs.
If circumstances had been different, they probably would have been present at the stadiums in person. Instead, his moving images they have represented them and also to the national resistance.
Nazariy Hryntsevich was a soldier from the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia and a fan of his local football team, Nyva. He spent his 19 years protecting Mariupol after the outbreak of warand then endured four months of Russian captivity before returning to the front.
Together with his comrades from the Azov Brigade (a formation of the Ukrainian National Guard), Hryntsevich founded the Contact-12 unitwhere he led a group of observers.
On May 6, 2024, He died in combat at only 21 years old.
The Euro 2024 It is one of the great events of the summer, bringing a feeling of community and competitiveness throughout the continent.
Despite being eliminated from the tournament after a 0-0 draw with Belgium, Ukraine’s participation showed once again the firm character of the nation and the reality of what its people have endured and continue to endure after the Russian invasion.
As Europe applauds its football victories, this banner is a call to also honor the loss of Ukrainian lives; Every moment of joy is celebrated by those who are not there to share it.
