Andriy Shevchenko, speaking to 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' ahead of his 50th birthday on Tuesday, reflected on his career as a footballer:
“I clearly remember the day I received my first call-up to Dynamo Kyiv’s youth teams, and when I played my first Champions League matches against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern. Then came the move to Milan and those great seasons, winning the Champions League. There were other exceptional moments too, such as Ukraine’s first qualification for the World Cup, my time at Chelsea and winning the FA Cup, and the European Championship in Ukraine."
"And then there was the Ballon d’Or: the third Ukrainian to win it, which was a source of great pride. I got it back. It spent a long time in the Milan museum, then I brought it to Ukraine. Together with Blokhin and Belanov, we organised a tour called ‘The fourth could be you’. It is a way of motivating younger generations during these difficult times, to be proud of the past and know that they have a future ahead of them."
Schevchenko, What are the two strongest images from your 50 years?
"My family and my charity work when I think about the man; the three clubs I played for and the national team when I think about the footballer. I am connected to Dynamo Kyiv for many reasons, Milan represented a wonderful chapter in my life, but I also had my moments of satisfaction at Chelsea. And then there is Ukraine. Together with the Football Federation’s Foundation, we launched a solidarity project to support people who have suffered amputations, particularly during these years of war.”
