Milan, Ukraine, Italian football and everyday life: Shevchenko reflects as 50th birthday arrives

AC Milan legend Andriy Shevchenko is preparing to turn 50 years of age, but he remains as passionate as ever about the things he loves.

Shevchenko etched pages in Milan’s early 2000s golden era along with others. Arriving from Dynamo Kyiv in 1999, he used his pace and his finishing to terrorise what was regarded at the time as perhaps the best league in the world from a defensive standpoint.

Across his eight seasons with the Rossoneri, he became beloved by the fans and scored an incredible 175 goals in 322 appearances, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the club’s history, behind only Gunnar Nordahl.

Not only that but he scored 14 times against bitter rivals Inter, and netted the penalty in the 2003 Champions League final win over Juventus. Now, he works hard to try and help things in his home country Ukraine, which has had a very difficult few years.

Shevchenko, who turns 50 on Tuesday, has a lot on his plate as president of the Ukrainian Football Federation, among other things. He spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport a few days before the big celebration.

Sheva, how are you approaching turning 50?

“I’m fully active, I always keep busy. And I have this mission now: to try to support football in Ukraine as much as possible during the war. Despite all the difficulties we face, we try to minimise the losses.

“Normal life no longer exists, the situation has gotten much worse, especially for the younger generations: underground, online schools, ongoing attacks. It’s not a normal life, but we’re moving forward, trying to adapt.

“We’re holding on, we’re not giving up. European countries are helping us a lot, our budget is largely based on the money we get from UEFA and FIFA, but every match is played away from home, and it’s much more expensive to organise anything.”

Can football still provide a moment of relaxation, a smile?

“We do what we can. It’s my challenge, the federation’s challenge. Three years ago we introduced a new tournament called School League: we started with 12,000 kids, and now we’re already up to 50,000.

“Football, and sport in general, is playing an important role because it’s the only way for young people to have fun. It helps you find your rhythm, and avoid falling into a state of permanent emergency.”

At 50 and after so many successes, do you feel like a symbol for a nation?

“No. The symbols are different; now is the time for true heroes, those who defend the country, who are part of the army and the resistance. Over these five years, I’ve seen their courage.

“It can’t be compared to our work. Through football, we must try to give them relief, a smile, because they watch the games and I know they’re happy when the team plays well.”

What are the memorable dates in your sporting career?

“I remember well the day I was called up for the first time to the Dynamo Kyiv youth teams, and when I played my first Champions League matches against Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. Then I moved to Milan and had great seasons, winning the Champions League.

“And other exceptional moments like Ukraine’s first World Cup qualification, the matches against Chelsea and the FA Cup win, the European Championship in Ukraine. And the Ballon d’Or: the third Ukrainian to win it, a source of great pride.”

Do you still keep it in your living room?

“I got it back. It spent a long time in the AC Milan museum, then I took it to Ukraine. Blokhin, Belanov, and I organised a tour called ‘The Fourth Could Be Yours’. A way to motivate the new generations in these difficult times, to be proud of the past and know they have a future ahead of them.”

What is the daily routine of 50-year-old Sheva like?

“The same old routine for three years. When I wake up, it’s always cold water, a bath or a swim in the sea, but it has to be 4-5 degrees Celsius. Afterwards, 45 minutes of activity: I do my exercises and go to the office or schedule video calls.

“If I’m in Ukraine, I play padel. In England, I play golf. I never miss sport. I go to bed at 11:30pm, and wake up at 7:15am. I eat little meat, maybe once in two weeks. I eat more salads, fish, and less pasta, but every now and then, yes, because the Italian habits have stuck with me.

“My weight hasn’t changed: since I was thirty, it’s always been the same, 84 kg, 85 at most. I try to read a little more, in different languages: as you can tell, you could say I’ve barely lost my Italian.

“I try to stay connected to the world; as soon as I wake up, I read the news from Ukraine. And I continue to pay attention to my family, which is still the most important thing for me.”

Two powerful images for you 50th birthday?

“My family and my charitable work as a man; the three clubs I played for; and the national team as a player. I have many ties to Dynamo Kyiv. Milan was a wonderful experience, but I also had my share of success at Chelsea.

“And then there’s Ukraine. With the Football Federation Foundation, we’ve launched a solidarity project to support those who have suffered amputations, especially during these years of war.”

You have always been beloved by AC Milan fans, but also by everyone else. How do you explain that?

“I’ve always been consistent. I don’t play with other people’s emotions; I understand and respect them. When we won against Milan, it was nice to make our fans happy, but I also understood the bitterness of others.

“In football, there’s a very fine line between success and defeat, and I’ve always respected everyone. And I’m a simple person, complicated in some ways, but simple. Maybe that’s why so many loved me.”

Do you still follow Italian football? And what do you think of your Milan?

“Milan is always in my heart, and I will always be a fan. And Italy is always in my heart, too. It’s my second home. I’m not saying this to please anyone, but because it’s true.”

It’s a bit of a difficult time for Italian football, including the national team. How do you see it?

“Don’t complain too much, you’ll get through this. Appreciate your history and think about how talented you are. You just need to change a few things and you’ll start again. You also have the right people to do it.”

A wish for your big birthday?

“Peace. I want people in my country to be able to live in peace as soon as possible. In football, my challenge is to do everything I can for future generations. The other challenge is to live well with my family and always be a good father.”