Oleksandr Zinchenko on Football, Ukraine and Achieving Greatness, Part One

A fan favourite at Arsenal and previously Manchester City, Oleksandr Zinchenko has been lighting up the Premier League with his fearless performances for many years. But his success has come while facing immense challenges. Having begun his career as a teenager at Shakhtar Donetsk, on the border with Russia, he was acutely aware of the politics of sport. Initially he played football as an amateur because no club would sign him. But he fought his way to the top and joined Manchester City in 2016 where he would go on to experience exhilarating career highs, with four league titles in six years, before moving to Arsenal where he has played an integral part in their recent successes. Zinchenko has shown his intense commitment in a very different way through his campaigning in support of his homeland during the ongoing war. Following advice from loved ones, he aimed to make a difference by using his platform to spread awareness and raise money to support his country. In October 2024 Zinchenko came to Intelligence Squared to tell his remarkable story. Drawing from his new autobiography Believe he provided unique insights into the methods of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and the machinations of elite football. He also told the story of how he has sought to support Ukraine on and off the pitch. Joining him to discuss it at our recent Intelligence Squared live event recorded on October 23rd at London’s Emmanuel Centre was Amy Lawrence, Arsenal correspondent for The Athletic and author of 89: Arsenal’s Greatest Moment, Told in Our Own Words. This is the first instalment of our full-length in-depth discussion. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to the full conversation immediately as an early access subscriber, plus our extra extended version of the conversation available to Members-only, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices