Andriy Shevchenko, 2004 European Footballer of the Year
Andriy Shevchenko scores Golden Ball
28-year-old AC Milan and Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko has been voted European Footballer of the Year. In the final list, Shevchenko is followed by Barcelona's Deco and Ronaldinho and Arsenal’s striker Thierry Henry.
Born in Kiev, Shevchenko (also called Sheva – nickname given by fans) became famous when playing as Dynamo’s striker in the 90s. After a few seasons of successful performance with a hat-trick in Barcelona and other spectacular personal achievements in the Champions League, S.Berlusconi and H.Surkis, the bosses of AC Milan and Dynamo Kiev, agreed on the 37.5 million euro transfer of Shevchenko from Ukraine to Italy in 1999.
It really was money well spent. Since joining AC Milan, Sheva has scored 136 goals overall - 102 in 163 Serie A games and 20 in 49 European matches.
With Shevchenko as a leading striker, AC Milan won the Champions League in 2003 and the Italian championship in 2004.
Last season, Shevchenko was top scorer in Serie A with 24 goals, including only one penalty.
"I'm very pleased to have received this award," Shevchenko said.
Shevchenko lives in a big villa overlooking Lake Como with American wife Kirsten and also models for Giorgio Armani. Andriy and Kirsten have got a son Jordan born earlier this year.
Andriy Shevchenko is the second Ukrainian to win Golden Ball after Dynamo’s striker Oleh Blockhin, who was named European Footballer of the year in 1975 after Dynamo Kiev won two top European football cups.
