Shevchenko: ‘The real heroes defend our country, I’ve got my Ballon d’Or back now’

Shevchenko: ‘The real heroes defend our country, I’ve got my Ballon d’Or back now’ Andriy Shevchenko says that peace in Ukraine is his biggest wish on his 50th birthday, has explained why he took his Ballon d’Or trophy back from the Milan museum and has urged for Italy supporters to remain calm when it comes to the national team: ‘You just need to change a few things and start again, you have the right people to do it’. Shevchenko will turn 50 this week and ahead of the milestone, he has given an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, talking all things Ukraine, Milan and Italy. Shevchenko, who won the Ballon d’Or and the Champions League with Milan, before going on to coach his national team for five years,  has been serving as the President of the Ukrainian FA since January 2024. Shevchenko on peace in Ukraine, Milan memories and Italy advice EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 13: Andriy Shevchenko attends the Gold Carpet during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) Widely considered Ukraine’s greatest footballer of all time, Shevchenko insists that he no longer considers himself a ‘hero’ in his homeland. “No, we have different ‘symbols’ now. Now it’s time for the real heroes, who defend the country as part of the resistance,” Shevchenko told La Gazzetta dello Sport . “I’ve seen their courage over the last five years. We can’t make comparisons with the jobs that we do. We have to try and give them some relief, something to smile about, because they watch the games and I know they’re pleased if they play well.” Looking back at his playing career, Shevchenko looked back on some of his most defining memories. “I still remember the day I was called up for the Dynamo Kyiv youth games so well. Also when I played my first Champions League games against Barcelona, Real, Bayern. Then also the move to Milan and the great seasons we had, the Champions League we won. “There were other exceptional moments as well, like qualifying for Ukraine’s first World Cup, the games with Chelsea and winning the FA Cup. Having the EUROs in Ukraine. And the Ballon d’Or, the third Ukrainian to win it, a source of great pride.” MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 6: Andrei Shevchenko of AC Milan is presented with the trophy after winning the European Golden Ball award 2004 before the Serie A Match between Milan and Lecce at the Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium on January 6, 2005 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by New Press/Getty Images) Shevchenko was asked if he keeps his Ballon d’Or trophy on his living room mantelpiece. He said: “I’ve got it back now, it was in the Milan museum for a long time, then I brought it to Ukraine. Along with Blochin and Belanov, we organised a tour called ‘the fourth could be yours’. It was a way of motivating the young generation in these difficult times, to show our pride of the past and to know that there is a future ahead of us.” Back in May, Shevchenko and the Ukrainian FA appointed an Italian as their national team head coach: Andrea Maldera, who had previously spent five years as an assistant coach to Shevchenko with the Ukraine national team, before going on to work with Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton and Marseille. “Andrea was on my staff, he knows the place well,” said Shevchenko. “He’s also worked abroad with De Zerbi, but he’s always kept an eye on things in Ukraine.” So, what does a day in the life of Andrea Shevchenko look like at the age of 50? MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 02: Andriy Shevchenko inducted into the hall of fame prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) “It’s been the same for three years,” he says. “It’s always a cold tub when I wake up, or a swim in the sea – it has to be four or five degrees. After that, 45 minutes of exercise. I do my routines and then go to the office or log on for video calls. “If I’m in Ukraine, I’ll play padel. If I’m in England, I’ll play golf. I’m never lacking when it comes to sport. I go to bed at around 11.30, wake up around 7.15. I don’t eat much meat, maybe once or twice a week. I eat more salads, fish, a bit less pasta but still sometimes because that Italian habit has stayed with me. “My weight has stayed the same since I was 30, always at 84 or 85kg. I try to read a bit more, and in different languages. As you can probably tell, I’ve lost quite a bit of my Italian. I want to stay connected with the world. As soon as I wake up, I read the news from Ukraine. I continue to spend time with my family as well, which is the most important thing.” And what are the most important things in Shevchenko’s life? “If I’m talking about the person, then it’s my family and my charity work. If we’re talking about the player, it’s the clubs I played for and the national team. I’m linked to Dynamo Kyiv for many reasons, Milan was my best moment but I also had a lot of great feelings at Chelsea. And then there’s Ukraine as well.” What does Shevchenko make of the current situation at Milan? “Milan is always in my heart and I will always be a fan,” he said. “Italy is always in my heart too, it’s my second home. I’m not saying that to please anyone either, it’s true.” And what about the Italy national team? Roberto Mancini at the Italy training session in September 2026 (figc.it) “I wouldn’t complain too much. You will come through this period,” he advised. “Appreciate your history and recognise that there is a lot of talent there, you just need to change a few things and start again. You have the right people to do it, too.” And if Shevchenko has one birthday wish, it would be: “Peace.” He added: “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 for the future generations. My other challenge is to be there for my family and to be a good father.”