Shevchenko retires for political career

Andriy Shevchenko has retired from football and plans to pursue a career in politics.

 The 35-year-old has opted to bring an end to his playing career following Euro 2012, with two goals against Sweden in a 2-1 win in the tournament the striker's final memorable moment.

 The news was released by former club Dinamo Kiev, as the veteran bows out of the sport.

 "Perhaps, I will shock everyone: my future has nothing to do with football. It is related to politics," he told the Ukrainian club's official website.

 Shevchenko will be remembered predominantly for his time at AC Milan, where he won a Scudetto, a Coppa Italia and a Champions League title in seven seasons - including one loan spell - where he netted 175 goals in 322 competitive games.

 He had an ill-fated stint at Chelsea between 2006 and 2009, but still added FA Cup and League Cup triumphs to his medal collection, whilst he also won the Ukrainian Premier League five times.

 Internationally the veteran striker represented his nation 111 times, scoring 48 goals.

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Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko announces international retirement

Andriy Shevchenko has announced he will retire from international football following Ukraine's group stage elimination from Euro 2012.

 The 35-year-old striker won his 111th cap for his country on Tuesday, coming on as a substitute in his side's 1-0 defeat by England.

 Shevchenko captained his country to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2006 and won the Ballon d'Or in 2004. He plans a specially arranged friendly before exiting the international stage.

 Shevchenko has been his country's talisman for over a decade, with a national record 48 goals. He scored his first international strike in a friendly against Turkey in 1996, and his last two came in Ukraine's 2-1 victory over Sweden in the co-hosts' first game of this tournament.

 At club level he won the Champions League with AC Milan in 2003 - scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out - and has collected silverware in Italy and England as well as his native country.

 As a 29-year-old Shevchenko signed for Jose Mourinho's Chelsea for £30m in May 2006, but spent a largely unproductive two-season spell in the Premier League before returning to Milan.

 Shevchenko's contract with current side Dynamo Kiev expires next month and a move to Major League Soccer in the United States in rumoured.

 The striker confirmed that he hopes to arrange a final, 112th appearance for his country in the coming weeks.

 I just want to play one more game to say goodbye, just for my family and friends and all the fans who have supported me for many, many years. "For everyone the time [to retire from football] comes.

 Shevchenko said Ukraine deserved better than their elimination at England's hands, especially after Marko Devic's effort was hooked out of the goal by England defender John Terry after the ball appeared to have crossed the line.

 "We deserved more today," he said. "We played well, created chances and of course scored a goal. "It's difficult for us. We're out of the competition. That's the reality.

 "[Scoring a goal] would have made a big difference. If we score we're buzzing and we'll maybe win a game.

 The referee was there, very close." Shevchenko predicted that England could now go on to enjoy a successful Euro 2012 campaign. 

"I congratulate England," he said. "Now England play against Italy after passing through a difficult group. "I think England can reach the final, why not?"

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Ukraine hero Shevchenko involved in car crash after Sweden win

The Euro 2012 co-hosts put in an impressive display in their opening match of the tournament, battling to a 2-1 win over the Swedes in Kiev, with a Shevchenko double cancelling out Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s tap-in.

 News agency Ukraine-2012 claim the former Chelsea and AC Milan star crashed his car when driving back to the team’s base after the win at the Olympic Stadium.

 It is believed a Jeep crashed into the back of Shevchenko’s car when the 35-year-old had halted at a pedestrian crossing in Kiev, with his wife being the only other person in the vehicle with him.

 The agency reported that no one involved needed medical attention and that the Dinamo Kiev legend signed autographs on the scene before leaving.

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'Emotional' Shevchenko hails Ukraine fans

Andriy Shevchenko was overcome with emotion after scoring a memorable brace that ensured co-hosts Ukraine opened their Euro 2012 campaign with a 2-1 triumph over Sweden.

Ukraine suffered a setback in the second half of their Group D meeting with Sweden when Zlatan Ibrahimovic flicked home to open up a 1-0 advantage in Kiev.

But Shevchenko, 35, helped his nation complete a fine turnaround as he netted two headed goals to put Ukraine top of the standings, after France had drawn 1-1 with England earlier on Monday.

The former Chelsea striker, who now plies his trade at Dynamo Kyiv, said: "I'm overwhelmed with emotions, this is fantastic. I want to thank the fans. For us, every game is a final."

Shevchenko, whose last brace in a competitive game for Ukraine came in November 2004 versus Turkey, cotinued: "I feel that I'm ten years younger today. I want to say thank you to everyone who has worked with me over the past six months. I couldn't imagine that I'd be able to play because I had lots of problems with my knee and back.

"Lots of people gave me support and I must thank them because I'm in good condition today. It was probably one of the best games I've played in the last seven or eight months.

"It's a great day for Ukraine. We should go through this group, but we expect two more very tough games (against France and England)."

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin was unimpressed by Sweden's tactics and perceived lack of sportsmanship. "The Swedish team only played for a draw and looked only for counters through Ibrahimovic," Blokhin said.

"Also they weren't very fair because when our player was lying on the pitch and the referee should have stopped the game, they had a chance and scored. I really don't like it."

Sweden coach Erik Hamren branded his side "cowards" following their defeat at the Olympic Stadium. "We're not reaching the level we want to and that's my responsibility as a coach," he said.

"We didn't show the courage we were supposed to. Only five or six players did. We all need all the players doing that. We were cowards in the first half and should have done more. I'm not happy with the team, I was expecting more. The players do want it very much, but we should have scored with the three last chances we had.

"I'm not sure Ukraine were much better in the first half either, it was very nervous and there were a lot of mistakes from both teams."

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Shevchenko praises Ibrahimovic ahead of their clash

Ukraine skipper Andriy Shevchenko has hailed Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the second best player in the world. Shevchenko believes that the Sweden international would have 'deserved' the Ballon d’Or this year if Lionel Messi was not in the running.

 Ibrahimovic notched 35 goals for AC Milan last season, his highest-ever tally for a domestic campaign.

 And Shevchenko, speaking ahead of the co-hosts’ opening Euro 2012 Group D fixture against Sweden on Monday night, has claimed that the former Barcelona man has the ability to fire his side into the semi-finals.

 “With Zlatan in the squad, everything is possible. He has enjoyed perhaps his best season yet.

 If there wasn't Lionel Messi around, Zlatan could easily have won the Ballon d'Or this year, and he'd have deserved it,” Shevchenko told Goal.com. Shevchenko was extremely complimentary of his successor at San Siro, suggesting that the Scandinavians can use the performances of their talismanic captain as a catalyst for an excellent run in the tournament.

 “I know Zlatan Ibrahimovic's quality very well, and a team with someone like him is automatically a candidate for a final victory,” said Shevchenko. “Maybe the Swedish national team is not so strong in defence and in midfield, but I feel they will be a competitor for a semi-finals berth. They have so many young skilful players, some experienced players and most of all they have nothing to lose.

 No stress, no pressure.” On a personal level, the 35-year-old is looking forward to one of the proudest moments of his life as he leads the group outsiders out at a finals tournament on home soil in Kiev.

 “I could not ask for a better way to close my career. I hope that our results are up to our great expectations. We have a good team, and I'm sure we will do well,” said Shevchenko. “Maybe we'll not win the tournament, but we will give everything we have within. For ourselves, for our fans, for our country, for our people. “Historically, the Ukrainian national team is seen as underdogs, so for us it is not new.

 And that's OK for us, as it is better to travel with the lights off, especially when you're the co-hosting the tournament.

 “We have a good team, a pretty deep squad, but maybe we do not have a generation of top players like we did a few years ago.

 Our manager Oleg Blochin, is a world-class former footballer and I'm glad he's back, after four years, to coach the Ukrainian national team because he was the greatest Ukrainian player ever, a true symbol for the country in difficult times.”

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