Legendary former professional footballer, highly celebrated coach, and proud Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko highlights the power of self-motivation, hard work, and discipline when it comes to accomplishing something extraordinary. Every day is a chance to improve, and it was this inner desire, this inner voice, that drove him to greatness.
Born in 1976, Shevchenko was just a child when the Chernobyl disaster struck. His life changed in the space of 24 hours when all the children were sent away, separated from their parents. It was an incredibly challenging time but despite this, his passion for football provided a crucial outlet, something else to focus on. A moment in time that began to lay the foundations for his football career.
Navigating the competitive and demanding environment of the youth team, Shevchenko’s talent quickly became evident, but still there were people who told him he couldn’t do it; tried to knock his confidence, put him down. But he stayed strong. He never gave up, and in 1994 he made his first professional debut with Dynamo Kyiv, quickly establishing himself as a prolific goal scorer.
Andriy’s achievements both as a footballer and coach truly cement him as one of the greats. During his time with AC Milan, he won the Serie A title, the UEFA Champions League, and the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2004. As head coach of the Ukrainian national team, he led them to the UEFA Euro 2020 quarter-finals, their best performance in the tournament's history. For Andriy though with every achievement came a new target, a new goal to focus on. He never stopped thinking about how he could improve.
Now an Ambassador for Ukrainian charity UNITED24, he continues to represent Ukraine on an international stage. He has such huge pride for his country, its people, and their resistance. They are unbreakable. They are strong. And they will continue to fight for the existence of Ukraine.
Andriy Shevchenko – video transcript
To be Ambassador of Ukraine is a pride for me, and it's kind of the challenge for me to make Ukraine one of the greatest country in the world.
Life growing up in Ukraine was quite challenging, and I grow up in very difficult, I’d say neighbourhood, and then I have to, every day, prove myself. And school being not easy for me and then when I start to be part of the Dynamo Kyiv youth team, that was quite challenging time for me, too.
If I go back to my memory and I remember the tragedy of Chernobyl USSR was, keep it all information very quiet. We didn't ever know the truth. And my father was military that time and obviously, he told us what exactly happened, that the nuclear reactor been exploded and we in real danger. And some point in just in 24 hours everything changed for us, the government decide to remove all the children. And we left. And I didn't see my parents for three months.
Chernobyl was a big part of Ukrainian history. Also my history, because we have been transferred from Kyiv to different city for couple months and that was the key point of my life because I basically start my career in the football.
The football mean everything for me because since I remember myself, I was always been with the ball and it been huge part in my life.
I always believe in myself and I've been always very competitive and then I think this part of the, me actually, push myself a lot. I always said that you need to have self-motivation to achieve something important. And since I start to playing football, I always had desire to improve every day. And then that was, I think, the key to improve every day, to try to get better to try to get in different level.
The biggest challenge is it's everyone want achieve what you target, and then competition is around you. You know, for place, youth team was very high. When I, after that, I move for second Dynamo Kyiv team. Also, the people try to put you down and you have to be strong. You have to be really strong to show your character, show your talent, you know, it's very important to never give up.
I pass a lot of hard moment in my career from playing free final to Champions League winning one and been losing two. And like I said, this is part of your career. This is part of your life. You have to believe in yourself.
When I won the Ballon D'or that was probably one of the greatest time in my football career. But since I won, it's now a target come immediately in my head. I never stop thinking about improve myself.
To be the best in the world, it takes definitely talent, discipline, self-motivation, and hard work. I think these four component, it's equal, each equal for succeed in something. We didn't born with this quality, you know, every day we discover something. Every day we put a different target. Every day we can improve.
I have a chance to bring my older son, Jordan, back to Ukraine during the war before he went to university. And obviously, that was risky, but I feel like he need to exactly feel that feeling what the Ukrainian people have been during the war. I think he change a lot in that five days when we was in Ukraine. I think he feel that feeling about Ukraine. Feeling about why Ukrainian people give such a strong resistance. Love what Ukrainian people have for the country and principle, what we try to defend.
To be Ukrainian is, it's pride for me, pride for the people, an unbreakable people who give their life for something more important. More important for us is existence of Ukraine. It's...
Sorry, I need to find the words.
We're fighting to exist and we don't have a different choice. We need to win this war.
END CARD
Andriy Shevchenko became one of the world's most celebrated footballers and a winner of the coveted Ballon D'or.
He won five league titles with Dynamo Kyiv before signing for AC Milan, where he became a UEFA Champions League winner in 2003.
Now an ambassador for Ukrainian charity UNITED24, he continues to represent Ukraine on the international stage, striving for a brighter future for his country.
