Ukrainian football hero Shevchenko calls for national unity

Ukrainian football hero Andriy Shevchenko calls called for the unity of the country in crisis caused by Russia’s invasion.

Shevchenko who was a global football star in the 2000s posted the images of the Ukrainian national flag and territory on his social media accounts, calling for national unity. “Ukraine is my motherland! I have always been proud of my people and my country! We have gone through many difficult times, and over the past 30 years we have formed as a nation!” he wrote. “A nation of sincere, hard-working and freedom-loving citizens! This is our most important asset!" he said. “Today is a difficult time for all of us. But we must unite! In unity, we will win! Glory to Ukraine!" he added, pledging to lead the unity of people for resistance.

Australia’s legendary cricket star Shane Warne and former striker of the Italian national football team Marco Borriello liked the tweet, supporting the Ukrainian footballer. Shevchenko’s tweet received 82,600 likes and 2,400 replies.

Shevchenko who was born in Dvirkivshchyna, Ukraine, made a name as a world-class striker by playing for Italy’s A.C. Milan and England’s Chelsea. He led A.C. Milan to win the UEFA Champions League in the 2002-03 season and Serie A in the 2003-04 season. He was also a top scorer of Serie A on two occasions. In 2004, he won Ballon d'Or, an award given to the world’s best football player of a year. In 2006, he led the Ukrainian national team to qualify for the World Cup for the first time and scored 48 goals in 111 A matches, bringing hope to the Ukrainian people. He coached the Ukrainian national team for the UEFA European Championship 2020 and led the team to the quarterfinals for the first time before retiring as a coach in August last year.


Jae-Yeong Yoo elegant@donga.com