As AC Milan continue attempts to haul themselves back to their glory days, one of the greatest players in the club’s history, Andriy Shevchenko, turns 40 today.
Unlike the Rossoneri, though, the Ukrainian is already back in European competition, aiming to lead his homeland to a World Cup just across the border in Russia in 2018.
In his early years with Dynamo Kiev, the striker quickly made headlines across the continent and was wanted by Europe’s major sides, with 94 goals in just 166 appearances and 11 major honours.
However, it was his performances in the Champions League that stood out – helping the Bilo-Syni to the semi-finals in 1998-99 – and prompted Rossoneri president Silvio Berlusconi to part with €24 million.
It proved a wise investment, with Shevchenko crowned Capocannoniere with 24 goals in his first season, matching that total next season and lighting up the Champions League by netting nine times.
Equally as important as European success for the Milanisti though, is getting one over city rivals Inter, so a goal during victory in his Derby Della Madonnina debut made him an instant hero, and became a familiar sight.
In total, Shevchenko struck 14 times against the Nerazzurri to become the fixtures all-time top-scorer, as Milan held city bragging rights throughout his stay.
While trophies remained hard to come by, his rapid forward play and work rate made him an ever growing influence for the Rossoneri, and a player that any future success depended upon.
Therefore, despite an injury plagued season, Shevchenko struck the winning penalty to secure the 2003 Champions League, after a dire 120 minutes with Juventus ended goalless.
With the striker simply unstoppable, another 24-goal Capocannoniere campaign brought a first Scudetto to Milan for five years, as well as the European Super Cup and Supercoppa Italia.
Shevchenko took another slice of Champions League history in 2004–05 when scoring four against Fenerbahce – the fifth player to achieve the milestone.
Thus, it was with no surprise that 2004 saw him become the third Ukrainian – after Oleg Blokhin and Igor Belanov – to receive the Ballon d’Or.
However, a competition that had given him so much – fifth all-time Champions League top scorer with 48 – dealt a cruel blow, when Jerzy Dudek denied the Ukrainian from point blank range and then the penalty spot to hand the trophy to Liverpool in Istanbul.
A player of his undoubted class suffered no ill-effects, though, and 10 months later became Milan’s second highest goalscorer behind Gunnar Nordahl.
Milan couldn’t keep the striker at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, as Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s persistence (and €44 million) meant Shevchenko headed to London.
However, it proved a disastrous move despite the proven quality he added to their expensively assembled squad, and two years yielded just nine Premier League goals.
Shevchenko was soon back in Milan, but the damage done in England appeared to accompany him to the peninsula – failing to register at all in Serie A.
His final Rossoneri goal coming in an underwhelming Coppa Italia defeat to Lazio in December 2008, to end on 175 goals for the club.
Continuing his career path in reverse, a three-year spell back with Dynamo was more fruitful in front of goal (30 in 83 outings), if not trophy wise, and found that familiar feeling when netting against Inter in the Champions League.
Equally as prolific for country – all-time top scorer with 48 goals – it was fitting that the curtain came down on his career as Ukraine jointly hosted the European Championships in 2012, bowing out with a brace to defeat Sweden.
Before taking the reins of Ukraine last summer, several attempts were made for Shevchenko to transition to coaching, but unsurprisingly not from Milan who had failed experiences with Clarence Seedorf and Filippo Inzaghi.
Should he succeed on the international stage in the coming years, though, the chances of him making a third arrival in Milan will no doubt increase, but could surely never outshine his achievements in the famous shirt.
