Ukrainian Football Star Oleksandr Zinchenko Ventures into Esports with Passion UA: A New Chapter in Gaming Representation

The Ukrainian soccer star shines on the field both for his club and his nation, and now he's turning his attention to esports to represent his country in a new way.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Arsenal's skilled left-back, shares his motivation for investing in a fresh Counter-Strike team named Passion UA. In an exclusive interview, Zinchenko explains, "We chose Passion UA because it resonates with the Ukrainian spirit, our inherent passion to achieve. The name sets the tone, but it's not the most crucial aspect."

The organization unveiled its new team with an announcement on its website, accompanied by a letter from Zinchenko. In it, he highlights his reasons for entering the esports realm and his aspirations. "Passion UA emerged from my deep love for gaming and my desire to contribute to the growth of esports in my home country, Ukraine," he asserts. "I am dedicated to constructing a world-class esports organization that will stand alongside industry giants."

Speaking from his home in London, the 26-year-old footballer opens up about his goals and the journey ahead. "The dream and objective are to compete at the highest level and in major tournaments," he explains. "But, naturally, we have to start somewhere. Arty[Artemijs Rjabovs, Zinchenko's manager and the driving force behind Passion UA]came to me with the idea, and we have faith in our manager, Misha 'Kane'".

Zinchenko continues, "He possesses incredible experience and expertise, and he knows what to do. We have full confidence in him, and we believe that this project can become something monumental. As a Counter-Strike enthusiast, I was more than eager to get involved when I heard about the concept".

Mikhaylo "Kane" Blagin's experience plays a significant role for Passion UA, a team with an average age of just 18, including two players who are only 16. The 37-year-old captain, renowned for his leadership in pro100 and Virtus.pro during CS 1.6 and his coaching roles with Natus Vincere and Major-winning Gambit in CS:GO, garners extensive support from the team's management.

Normally, in your head, when you talk about the owner, you talk about someone you can't be close to, you can't speak to, so I just told the lads that I'm open for them 24/7

Beyond an investor, Zinchenko aspires to be involved as much as his schedule allows. "I'd love to be as engaged as possible," he affirms. "Of course, given my commitments, it might be challenging to be with the team daily, but if the opportunity arises for me to join them at bootcamps or wherever, I'd be more than willing. I've already met the team, albeit not in person due to my demanding schedule, but I'd like to be as active as possible."

Zinchenko's passion for the game is evident. He began playing during the CS 1.6 era and still dabbles in CS when his life as a footballer and father of two permits.

"I'm not sure how I can assist the team beyond investing. Definitely not in-game advice because I'm currently at level 8 on FACEIT," he jests about his role. "So, I won't be giving them any gameplay advice. Misha knows far better than I do."

Aside from humor, Zinchenko remains close to the game and has encountered some of Ukraine's rising stars, including Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, Valeriy "b1t" Vakhovskiy and Viktor "sdy" Orudzhev. He expresses his delight at playing with and against them, saying, "It was an absolute pleasure. When I have spare time, I love to participate in charity games or play for fun, or even watch and support them."

However, juggling personal time with the demands of a footballer's life and fatherhood has its challenges. "Playing with friends is more complicated since I've become a father for the second time", he explains. "With two kids at home and training sessions, it's hard to find time. Just don't tell my wife I'm trying to do it", he adds, laughing. "At least I'm keeping up with the game".

While direct in-game advice might not be his forte, Zinchenko finds parallels between football and CS that translate into valuable insights. "I personally know some pro players, and we always have topics to discuss, experiences to share", he states. "It's not just about the game; it's about reacting to various situations".

"We're all human, and we all experience losses or setbacks. It's about how you respond. You need mental strength and the ability to react appropriately in different situations. If I can contribute in this way, I'd be more than glad. However, with Misha's experience, he's the forefront of this aspect".

Passion UA sets ambitious goals and has a roadmap that extends into the future. Zinchenko draws parallels from his own life to elucidate his aspirations for the team's progression. "We all start somewhere," he notes regarding the team's current status. "Top teams began as newcomers. We're no different. Our dream and objective are to reach the top of the rankings. Believing in the process and the hardworking individuals is crucial".

"We became the 77th team in the world recently, which was quite unexpected. Given our young team, an experienced manager, and Arty's involvement, anything is possible".

Beyond aspirations and dreams, this new venture aligns with Zinchenko's interests. "If you have many checkboxes marked, then you're on the right path", he comments. "What checkboxes am I talking about? I'm a big CS fan, I enjoy playing and watching, and I want to contribute to the dialogue".

"It's a dream to create something of your own, and that dream has now become a reality. Not just from a financial perspective, but the joy of it and the chance to represent our country. So, there are plenty of checkboxes, and that's truly positive".

I know some pro[CS]players personally and we always have some things to talk about, we can share some experiences

Passion UA's journey is now underway, with Zinchenko bringing his leadership qualities from the dressing room. "I introduced myself to the team and had a collective conversation", he recalls. "I told them, 'Each of us has a dream. I'm unsure about your dreams, but I dream of reaching the top of the league, and I believe all of you can achieve greatness'.

"Trust me, with hard work and listening to our experienced manager, we can achieve anything. He has extensive experience in these situations at the highest level and can share his knowledge. He can impart a lot, and we chose you because we believe in your potential and talent'.

Though Passion UA is yet to compete under its new banner, their short stint as Zen saw them score their initial upsets in the IEM Sydney 2023 Europe Open Qualifier. They eliminated Sprout, led by their fellow countryman Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov, and then bested Movistar Riders in best-of-ones before falling to 1WIN in a BO3 at the final hurdle.

The wheels are in motion for Kyryl 'marat2k' Samsoniuk, Dmytro 'jambo' Semera, Vsevolod 's-chilla' Shchurov, Nikita 'jackasmo' Skyba, Eduard 'zeRRoFIX' Petrovskyi and coach Kane, who are getting ready for their first bootcamp.