MINSK,
12 March (BelTA) – A
ceremony to honor the national beach soccer team, which placed fourth
at
the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, took
place at the National
Olympic Committee of Belarus on
12 March,
BelTA
has
learned.
The
2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was held in the United Arab Emirates
on
15-25
February. Belarus
went through the
group stage without defeat, beating
Senegal
(6-4), Japan (3-1) and Colombia (4-1). Nicolas Alvarado’s men
then defeated three-time
world champions Portugal 4-3
in the quarterfinal.
Thus, Belarus reached
the World Cup semifinal for
the first time in history, where they
faced
Italy and
lost 4-5 on penalties.
In the bronze
match
Belarus lost to Iran (1-6).
“Belarus
showed their true worth at the 2024
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Unfortunately, the achievements of our
national teams can be counted on the fingers of one hand. What
the footballers accomplished at the World Cup
and earlier
at
the 2ndCIS
Games, winning gold, is a vivid example of how one should do one’s
job in the sport of highest achievements. This is truly a sporting
feat,” NOC President Viktor Lukashenko said.
“Not only the players, but also the coaching staff, the
administrative team, medical workers, as well as relatives, friends
and fans were involved in this success. The whole country watched the
matches with interest and rooted
for our team.
I would like to note FIFA’s
stance,
thanks to which we were able to perform under our national symbols.”
Certificates
of honor and gratitude of the NOC of Belarus and the Sports
and Tourism Ministry
were
bestowed upon Ivan
Kanstantsinau
(captain), Ihar Bryshtsel (top scorer), Vadzim
Bokach, Aleh
Hapon,
Mikita
Chaikouski,
YahorHardzetski,
Mikhail Avgustov, Yury
Piatrouski,
Anatoliy
Ryabko,
Uladzimir
Ustsinovich,
Artsemi
Drozd , Yauheni
Novikau,
coaches Nicolas Alvarado and Dmitry Rubnenko, doctor Andrei Shubko,
masseur Vladislav Ivanov, administrator Dmitry Babak, chairman of the
Belarusian
Beach
Soccer Federation Mikhail Botnikov, deputy chairman of the federation
Aleksandr
Baranov, representative of the National
Research Center of Sports Yelena
Khromenkova.
