“Patriotism is not in singing a hymn, a hand on a heart and an embroidered shirt”

The former defender of the Ukrainian national team told why at one point he did not sing the National Anthem of Ukraine before the games and then began to do so.

“I don’t like to discuss such things. If everyone comes to the Verkhovna Rada in embroidered shirts, this does not mean that all MPs are patriots. Someone sings, someone does not sing, this is everyone’s business. Maybe someone is shy, someone else is currently experiencing some of their exciting moments, the third is focused on the game. Of course, it is better to see everyone singing.

At first I didn’t sing either. I don’t even know why. Either he was scared, or he was just a bad singer of mine. Once I came to my native Lyubeshov for a weekend and met an elementary school teacher. Lyubeshov is an urban type settlement where everyone knows each other. She told me moving, they say why am I not singing a hymn?

And it seemed to me that I was short-circuited, but before that I did not sharpen my attention. Turns out this is important to people. “Yes, now you are going to sing. Give me your word, ”he says. And say my word. Since then he began to sing. Patriotism is not about singing a hymn, a hand on a heart, and an embroidered shirt. There are people who silently and silently do more than those who constantly yell and promote themselves. For me, this is a sensitive issue, as you will understand, ”Mikhalik said in an interview with Football magazine.

As part of the Ukraine team, Taras Mikhalik played from 2006 to 2012, having played 32 matches. From 2013 to 2019, Mikhalik played in Russia as part of Lokomotiv and ended his career at Volyn.