“Milan Primavera” player Andriy Kubish refused to call up Emil Sandoy to the U21 national team. Kubis decided to represent the Italian national team and responded positively to the U20 challenge.

Andriy Kubis in a Milan T-shirt.Photo: Jonathan Moscrop / Zuma Press / Profimedia

Emil Sandoi, disappointed that Andrii Kubish refused to represent Romania – “Milan Primavera” football player will play for Italy

At the age of 19, Andrii Kubis is the captain of Milan Primavera and his performances have attracted the attention of both Romania and Italy.

The selector Emil Sandoi called him to matches with Portugal (March 24) and Germany (March 28), but the defender refused to appear in the squad and responded to the call of the youth team of Italy.

In an interview with the Romanian Football Federation, Emil Sandoi said that he tried to contact the player, but he was distant and cold.

“It is difficult for me to comment on the choice of Andrii Kubis, who preferred to join the Italian youth team under the age of 20. I would like him to choose the Romanian national team. I called him up for the first time against Spain and the Netherlands, although he had been called up before in the U19s or U20s and he played. It’s his choice, and we’re sorry.

We tried to take the necessary measures to convince him to continue playing for the Romanian national team. At the beginning of November, I went to Milan, watched part of his training in Milan. I had the opportunity to watch him in a school game with the first team, I had discussions with the sporting director of the Italian U21s.

We had signals that he was also wanted by people associated with the Italian Football Federation. Even Milan’s sporting director told me he also got a call from Italy U20, we also sent a call to Romania U21, he chose Italy. It’s the player’s choice.

I really felt that he would choose because I saw him more distantly, I couldn’t talk to him on the phone as much, he didn’t answer my messages either. We tried to convince him to choose us.” – said Emil Sandoy.

Andrii Kubish was often present at the training sessions of Milan’s big team, and several specialized sites classified him as one of the best young players in the world.