Ukraine: Andriy Shevchenko, 2004 Ballon d'Or winner, named president of the Association of Football

Andriy Shevchenko, born on 29/09/1976, was elected president of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) for a five-year term after obtaining 93 of the 94 votes cast (he was the sole candidate and himself abstained) at the UAF's 26^th extraordinary congress, held in Kyiv (UKR) on 25/01/2024.

The 2004 Ballon d'Or winner, who began and ended his playing career with FC Dynamo Kyiv, also wore the colours of AC Milan (Serie A TIM, 1999 - 2006, then 2008-09) and Chelsea FC (Premier League, 2006 - 2008, then 2009) and won 111 caps for Ukraine (48 goals). He was then coach from 2016 to 2021.

"It's a huge responsibility. We have great missions ahead. We need to allow football to develop in Ukraine, under such difficult conditions, with large-scale war. Despite the war, we must prepare our national team, the Olympic team, futsal, women's football," said Shevchenko, who succeeds Nikolay Pavlov as president.

"350 stadiums have been destroyed. Our children and our people are traumatised by the war, and we need to build projects for them. Sport has an incredible impact, helping people to forget…