Topics: Oleksandr Zinchenko, Arsenal, Ukraine
Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko has admitted that his marriage proposal to wife Vlada was not the best.
In fact, the Ukraine international went so far as to call it “the worst ever” after he popped the question at four in the morning wearing just his boxers.
Thankfully, Vlada, née Shcheglova, who works as a TV journalist and who was kissed on the cheek by her future husband during an interview that went viral in 2019, said yes.
The couple have since had a child together, a daughter who was born in 2021.
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And speaking to www.FootballersLives.tv, the 26-year-old Gunners star expressed his embarrassment at the way he got down on one knee before revealing how he had originally planned to propose.
“The way I proposed is the worst proposal ever, ever,” he said. “It's impossible, it's so shameful. Honestly I am going to regret all my life my proposal – the worst thing ever – it's incredible.
“What happened (was) we had a game against Portugal at home, qualification for the Euros. I was going to propose. I knew Vlada was going to work on that game.
“I will ask her boss to call me for the interview and I wanted to do it in the interview. This idea is perfect – we won the game 2-1. My ring was in my bag and I wanted to do it.
“But I knew from growing up that before you propose to your favoured wife you have to ask permission of her parents. Not on the phone, but face to face.
“It was so difficult to find some time. I was going to ask the manager if I could go on some personal issues and be back in five hours. I couldn't do it, didn't want to do it beforehand, before I had asked permission.”
Zinchenko then proceeded to offer some words of wisdom for anyone thinking about popping the question to their partner.
He added: “I would like to give advice to everyone who is planning to do the proposal, please don't do it my way. I became crazy at the time. I went outside walking for a while, bought a lot of flowers for her that morning.
“Why I did it in the apartment instead of anywhere else? It's not the most important, but it's important for the memory.”
Zinchenko is no stranger to a grand romantic gesture, of course. In 2020 he proposed publically to Vlada in Kyiv’s 70,000-seater Olympic Stadium, where the couple wore the national team shirt and were surrounded by thousands of red and white roses in the shape of a heart.
He also explained how he dedicated one of his goals in 2021 to their unborn baby.
Playing for Ukraine in a friendly game against Cyprus, he said: “I really wanted to score a goal and dedicate the goal to our future baby.
“I asked to take the penalty, it was in the extra time of the first half, it was 100 per cent I scored. One of the best days in my football career – it was such a very emotional day. All sides of the story, all directions, in terms of the result 4-0 to Ukraine, after the game the celebration. It was in my head to do it.”
He added: “It was the most beautiful time for my country. People deserved the best to make them smile. Make them proud they are Ukrainian, make them smile for a couple of seconds.”
