The stellar career of Andriy Shevchenko may be winding down, but the Ukraine captain remains firmly focused on the future. With UEFA EURO 2012 due to be held jointly between his homeland and Poland, the 34-year-old clearly has much to look forward to as well. The competition will be an emotional event for the prolific marksman, who is an icon in his native country thanks to an eye for goal that has yielded 45 international strikes. He has also registered 67 times in the UEFA Champions League, putting him third on the competition’s all-time list behind Raul and Filippo Inzaghi, and boasts an overall tally of 315 goals in 626 club games.
Now back with the team where he first made his name, Dynamo Kyiv, the former AC Milan and Chelsea forward spoke to FIFA.com about his career, how the game has changed and Ukraine’s chances at next summer’s European Championship. Before the interview had even begun, however, he was at pains to address recent rumours that he will retire after the continental showcase: “I never said I’m going to stop playing after 2012.”
FIFA.com: Andriy, how long do you plan to continue playing?
Andriy Shevchenko: I feel good, still young, the motivation is still there and I think I’ll carry on. Of course, the day will come when I have to hang up my boots, but for now I don’t know when I’ll retire. I scored quite a few goals again last season. My short-term objective is the upcoming EURO.
Andriy Shevchenko: I feel good, still young, the motivation is still there and I think I’ll carry on. Of course, the day will come when I have to hang up my boots, but for now I don’t know when I’ll retire. I scored quite a few goals again last season. My short-term objective is the upcoming EURO.
