Wales captain Gareth Bale said any sympathy with Ukraine will be forgotten on Sunday as he tries to lead his country to a World Cup for the first time since 1958.
Ukraine beat Scotland 3-1 in an emotional encounter on Wednesday in their first competitive match since Russia’s invasion to set up the play-off final in Cardiff.
Bale picked up his fifth Champions League title with Real Madrid last weekend and was one of the heroes of Wales’ remarkable run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
However, the 32-year-old has never played at a World Cup and may not get another chance.
“It’s not coming from a horrible place, but we want to do it for our country, our own fans,” said Bale on Saturday when asked if he felt conflicted facing a war-torn nation.