Vitalii Mykolenko’s brave dad was due to watch Everton play Manchester City but instead ended up joining the fight to save their homeland.
His father, Sergei, was set to visit Goodison Park for the first time in February of last year but his plans were disrupted when Russia invaded Ukraine. Mykolenko discovered his dad’s brave move in an emotional phone call as he was driving to Finch Farm for preparations for the game.
Reflecting on that conversation with his mum, Olesia, he said: “I don’t have kids yet but I remember my first thought being, ‘My father is never going to meet my kids.’ That was my first thought.”
