Renowned football player Andrii Shevchenko displays Golden Ball award in Kyiv, inspiring youth amidst full-scale war

On December 7, in Kyiv, at the Taras Shevchenko Park, the Ukrainian Football Association President Andrii Shevchenko displayed his Golden Ball. He earned this highly esteemed award for individual football achievements 20 years ago, in December 2004.

Suspilne reported that.

The Golden Ball will remain in Kyiv until December 15. On December 16, "Ukrzaliznytsia" [Ukrainian railways – ed.] will transport the trophy across Ukraine. The prize will visit Kramatorsk, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Shevchenko's native Yahotyn. The award will be exhibited at the central railway station in each city and available to all who wish.

"The project aims to stimulate our youth to believe in themselves despite the full-scale war. I believe in Ukraine, I believe in our nation, I believe in our talented people. And I believe we will have the fourth Golden Ball in Ukraine," Andrii Shevchenko said.

Golden Ball is a prestigious football award founded by the French magazine France Football in 1956. It is awarded annually to the best player in the world and, until 2007, to the best player in Europe.

"I am glad that today the Golden Ball is in Kyiv and will go further – on a journey through Ukrainian cities to inspire children to play football. To remind – efforts and perseverance give results. To prove – everything is possible if you really love what you do. I believe that the next Golden Ball winner is already growing up in Ukraine," Shevchenko noted.

Only three Ukrainians have earned this trophy throughout its history: Oleh Blokhin in 1975, Ihor Belanov in 1986, and Andrii Shevchenko, who received it on December 13, 2004.

Shevchenko considers winning this award one of the most thrilling moments in his career.