Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Shevchenko (Ukrainian: Андрій Миколайович Шевченко, Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko, nicknamed “Sheva”, “The Eastern Wind”, “The White Ronaldo”, “Shevy”, “Wind of Passion”, born 29 September 1976, Dvirkivschyna, Kiev Oblast) is a Ukrainian football striker who is contracted to English club Chelsea of the Premier League championship. He has played 69 matches and scored 31 goals for the national team of Ukraine, which he represented at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
At an early age, Shevchenko was a competitive boxer in the LLWI Ukrainian junior league. Due to his size, he was forced to move on to football where he flourished. He began his career with Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv, with whom he won five Ukrainian Premier League titles and two Ukrainian Cups in five seasons between 1994 and 1999. With Italian club AC Milan, he won one Serie A title, one UEFA Champions League, one European Super Cup, one Italian Cup and one Italian Super Cup between 1999 and 2006.
In December 2004, Shevchenko was named the European Footballer of the Year. He was also named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. Also in 2004, Shevchenko was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine by former President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma.