Oleksandr Zinchenko is an example of a player in the world of football whose influence goes beyond the boundaries of the field. He has inspired millions of people facing an insurmountable struggle with his unwavering tenacity, making him a beacon of light in the darkness. He uses his platform to raise awareness of his country’s difficulties and exemplifies the spirit of resiliency, patriotism, and hope that we have all come to associate with the Ukrainian people.

Oleksandr ‘Alex’ Zinchenko hadn’t established himself as a notable professional football player ten years prior. Alex and his family were dealing with the terrible reality of leaving their hometown because of the devastating conflict in the Donbas region of Ukraine, while most prospective players were making their mark on the first squad. Unfortunately, Alex and his family would later encounter unrest in their native country more than once.

The Russo-Ukrainian war significantly escalated on February 24, 2022, when Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is a day that will be long remembered by people all throughout the world, but especially by Ukrainians. In the subsequent 18 months, the worst refugee crisis resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions of people.

The battle doesn’t appear to be easing down; on the contrary, it is becoming worse. Therefore, it is more crucial than ever for the world community to come together and take action. As a football player, Alex is aware of his special position of power and is more determined than ever to use “the beautiful game” and his platform to improve Ukrainians’ lives and shed light on one of his life’s darkest episodes.

Alex recalls the early stages of the conflict, “It was so hard to concentrate on football at the beginning of the invasion because all my thoughts were with my country and my people who were suffering more than you can imagine.” “I had two choices: I could either give up, do nothing, and try to move forward as best I could, or find an opportunity to help my people and represent my country in the best way possible.

I’m incredibly appreciative of the SWM team; it was a wonderful experience. Everything was done to the highest standard from the minute I opened the door; it was enjoyable. When doing an action like this, you may occasionally start to count down the seconds until it is finished, but if everything goes smoothly, you may not even be aware of the passing seconds. I could spend even more time with SWM. It was a wonderful encounter. I greatly appreciate it.

We are honored and pleased to have formed a collaboration with Alex Zinchenko. The goal of the project was to give Alex a platform from which to discuss the circumstances in his country of origin. We wanted to give Alex something special because we knew it was a sensitive subject for him. With the support of our partners at Golden Concept, we created a bespoke Apple watch case exclusively for Alex that reflects his personality and the people of Ukraine.