Viktor Tsygankov escapes Kerkez and Szoboszlai celebrations

Ajax forward Viktor Tsygankov will no longer appear at the family gatherings of Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai next year. The decision follows the events surrounding the Hungary‑Ukraine match (0‑1) and a victory for Ukraine in Budapest on Friday evening, September 27, 2026.

Escalation in the Puskás Arena

In injury time, Tsygankov got into a tussle with the Liverpool stars Kerkez and Szoboszlai. A red card for Oleksandr Nazarenko triggered a massive push‑and‑pull action in the Puskás Arena. Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Tsygankov and Mykola Matviyenko all received a yellow card.

Afterwards, Dominik Szoboszlai stated that the incident arose after Tsygankov had attacked his teammate Milos Kerkez. Kerkez's father posted on September 28, 2026 an eye‑catching Instagram story with the photo of the scuffle, captioned with the song ‘Russian Paradise’ by AK‑47.

The lyric ‘Just look in my eyes and you will see Russian paradise’ from the song was seen by the father as a provocative message, generating additional media attention. The story was shared via a tweet from GolNord on the same day.

Due to the controversy it is now confirmed that Tsygankov will not be invited to the family gatherings of Kerkez and Szoboszlai next year. This decision is a direct result of the tense atmosphere that arose during the match.

The contrast between a sporting victory and a personal dispute shows how quickly international matches can seep into the private lives of players, and suggests that further tensions are not ruled out.