The Olympic Stadium a few minutes before the opening ceremony
Make no mistake, co-hosting next summer’s tournament will be a milestone for the former Soviet republic as well as for European and world football.
Work continued through the night to make sure the Stadion NSK Olimpiyskiy, refurbished at a cost of more than £300 million, would be ready to open its doors.
Despite the recent rise of Shakhtar Donetsk in the east of the country, Kiev and the Dynamo club have always been at the centre of the triumph and tragedy of Ukrainian football and the city on Saturday celebrated 100 years of football in the capital with a ceremony attended by local children.
Ukraine Football Federation president Hryhoriy Surkis said: “The stadium is a birthday present for the place which gave the world [legendary coach Valeriy] Lobanovskiy and Dynamo Kiev.
“The stadium has been renovated to the highest standards. It will become one of the 10 best stadiums in Europe, in reality a new arena with all the latest technology, which can host not only football but athletics.”
Like much of Ukraine’s preparations for Euro 2012, the Kiev stadium project was beset by delays and rows, but the 60,000-seater venue, not far from the city centre, will be a fitting stage for the final and a symbol of the country’s determination to use football as a springboard to a new future, 20 years after gaining independence.
The stadium’s first official match is due to be a friendly against Germany on Nov 11 and any clash with that powerhouse of European football comes with extra significance in Ukraine, especially in Kiev.
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