Latest news with #AndriyShevchenko
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Shevchenko hopes Ukrainian soccer history can be preserved through Toronto exhibition
Fans of all ages flocked to a vibrant historical exhibition of Ukrainian soccer history in Toronto on Thursday and Friday, highlighted by a special appearance by 2004 Ballon d'Or winner Andriy Shevchenko. Designed to coincide with the Ukrainian national team's appearance at the Canadian Shield – a four-team men's international tournament also featuring Canada, Ivory Coast and New Zealand – the exhibition is running until June 10. Ukraine and Canada kick off a tournament doubleheader Saturday afternoon at BMO Field, with New Zealand and Ivory Coast playing later the same day. In collaboration with the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada and the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto, the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) displayed all of its national team jerseys dating back to 1991, FIFA World Cup balls and club flags and scarves since the early eighties. And there was plenty of silverware, too, with European trophies won by some of those teams also on display. 'Football is part of being Ukrainian,' said Artem Dzherikh, who was attending the event with his English teacher. 'It's in our everyday life.' Also enjoying the artifact-filled hall was a select group of players, who held a Q&A session after taking a look at some of the history that they now help to write. 'I have never had the opportunity to meet the team,' Dzherikh said. 'Even when I was back home [in Ukraine], we never had an opportunity like this.' Some kids also had the chance to ask the players questions, before racing in line for autographs and pictures. The questions ranged from 'How can I be famous like you?' to 'Who is your favourite player?' and the classic, '[Lionel] Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo?' Mark Milchevych, who is 11 years old, was at the event that 'he couldn't miss' with his mother after a long day at school. During his wait in the lobby before entering the exhibition, Milchevych and his friends were kickabout with the ball he brought along. 'I want the players to sign my ball and wish my generation good luck so I can succeed like them,' Milchevych said. 'It's very exciting that my national team is here.' Though admission into the event was free, the organizers emphasized the importance of donations to charities that are helping children affected by the war in Ukraine. Many wearing the yellow and blue colours of the national team handed over a donation before walking inside and headed toward a specific section in the room. An infographic wall with pictures and text titled 'Football and War' drew immediate attention from the entering crowd. Situated alongside it was the military uniform of FC Volyn Lutsk player Roman Maksymiuk, who went missing on the battlefield defending Ukraine. On the same table were valid tickets for a scheduled Ukrainian Premier League match set to take place in February, 2022. The fixture was cancelled due to the start of the invasion, and has since been coined by fans as 'the match that never happened.' 'Even during the war, we still believe we can improve football, and provide everything for our young generation,' said Shevchenko, who is also the UAF president. 'We can still grow and deliver.' Shevchenko is widely considered one of the best strikers to ever grace a soccer pitch, winning trophies at every club he played for. As he walked into the hall to take questions, the crowd erupted, and the expression of disbelief across the faces of the waiting children was contagious. 'I could not believe it,' Milchevych said after getting his soccer ball signed by his 'inspiration.' The impact of the war has been harsh on the Ukraninan Premier League's financial health, soccer infrastructure, and players who have taken themselves to the front line, says Shevchenko. However, the fan affection has not been hindered as the regular season is operating without restricted attendance, in comparison to the start of the war. 'Football events bring joy at a time that is very difficult,' said Mykola Vasylkov, who is a volunteer with the UFA, helping to set up events with the team on the road. 'It is a sign of normal life, which [is what] we want to finally achieve.' Shevchenko and Dzherikh both feel grateful to Canada and the way its people have welcomed Ukrainians fleeing the war, helping to provide them with a sense of community. There is nothing they bond over more than soccer, and an exhibition of this scale is important to preserve their history, Shevchenko added. 'If you look at the history of each player [part of the team], 90 per cent of them have been affected by the war,' he said. 'It's always been an incredible connection [with the fans].'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Uefa mutiny brewing as rebels plot challenge to Aleksander Ceferin's presidency
Almost everywhere you turned in Munich last week, you saw football royalty, and high-level talk. The Champions League final almost stands alone in bringing the great and good of the game together. In one corner, there was Sir Alex Ferguson being shepherded by Gary Neville, endearingly calling him 'boss'. In another were a series of legends like Ruud Gullit and Javier Zanetti. Anyone who looked hard enough might also have seen something else, in the more secluded corners of high-priced hotels like the Rosewood or Bayischer Hof. That was potentially the beginning of a football rebellion. A number of senior figures are now coming together to put forward a challenger to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin for 2027. A football great like Andriy Shevchenko is preferred – with even Michel Platini being mentioned in some quarters – but the real point is how a resistance is taking shape. That is down to a growing concern and frustration at the direction of the European game, and the manner in which huge decisions are taken. Some couldn't help notice the symbolism at the end of the Champions League final itself. Ceferin handed the European Cup over to Paris Saint-Germain, who are headed by his close friend, Nasser Al-Khelaifi. There were naturally warm congratulations between the two officials. It arguably marked the culmination of an era, and not just for the Qatar-owned European champions. Through his presidency of PSG and crises like the Super League, Al-Khelaifi has risen to become the chairman of the European Club Association [ECA], whose power has significantly increased under the Qatari's leadership. The ECA now runs the Champions League as a joint venture with Uefa – which is exactly what the big clubs wanted though the Super League – and it is almost viewed as a third major football institution with Fifa and Uefa. Many now question where Uefa ends and the ECA begins. And here was the European Cup being handed over. It comes after a period where senior football figures have become increasingly concerned at Al-Khelaifi's 'direct involvement in decision-making', according to one source, as well as what they perceive as a Uefa that now increasingly prioritises the elite club game at the expense of its members, the national associations. A further problem is that they don't feel there is the political space to express any of this. Underneath Ceferin's close relationship with Al-Khelaifi, the Uefa president's main support comes from a bloc of 14 countries, most from the Balkans given his Slovenian background. This has driven the agenda at the federation, to the point that many national associations do not feel their views are sufficiently heeded. The frustration has only added to the doubts over the game's direction, fostering a general sense that elite football is being co-opted by greater powers, without sufficient input by its stakeholders. A common complaint is that there isn't even the room to stage serious debate about key matters for the sport. This has all been further aggravated by events in Paraguay at the end of last month, when Ceferin's Uefa were presented with what should have been a huge political victory. Numerous senior figures were infuriated by Fifa president Gianni Infantino's late arrival at his own Congress, having instead stayed longer in Saudi Arabia with Donald Trump. Ceferin eventually led a walk-out of European delegates, that culminated in an unusually strident Uefa statement criticising Infantino for pursuing 'private political interests'. This had initially energised a lot of the game, right up to senior EU officials who have similarly expressed concern about football governance. There was a hope that pressure might build for something new… only for that to be replaced by bemusement. Within four days, Uefa released a statement insisting the 'recent episode was isolated' and that a relationship of 'ongoing collaboration' is 'marked by open communication and mutual respect'. Few in football believe this given the known tension between Ceferin and Infantino, who is set to be the subject of some focus this week with the start of his Club World Cup. Some sources are keen to put this entire dynamic in the context of their frayed relationship. Others even believe there will eventually be a heave to put Al-Khelaifi forward as a candidate for Fifa president. The Football Association's position in this has been the source of intrigue among European nations, too. While chief executive Mark Bullingham was, in February 2024, the only federation leader to vote against controversial reforms that would allow Ceferin to stand again in 2027, and former Uefa treasurer David Gill sparked a row with the Slovenian at one meeting over governance issues, tension is understood to have calmed. England will host Euro 2028 along with the rest of the British nations and Ireland, and then the Women's World Cup in 2031. FA chair Debbie Hewitt is currently vice-president of Fifa. The FA is viewed as trying to play both sides. Other positions are being scrutinised with more interest by insiders. The last Uefa Executive Committee, at the Europa League final in Bilbao, confirmed the appointment of Ceferin loyalist Zoran Lakovic to deputy general secretary under long-time Uefa grandee Theodore Theodoridis. Already Uefa director of national associations, Lakovic is seen as having accumulated considerable power at Uefa, as Ceferin's 'man on the ground'. This only solidifies the Serbian's rise, especially with many expecting Theodoridis to soon retire. Ceferin's own future after 2027 is viewed with considerable intrigue. He suggested he would leave at the 2024 Congress, only to then immediately go back on that, with language that was very open to interpretation. Either way, there's now momentum around a new political bloc, who want to ensure they have their own candidate for 2027. It might well be a football legend. It is certain to shape football politics – and maybe the game's future direction – for the next two years.
Khaleej Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Where heroes go to play: Exploring golf's irresistible allure to sports legends
There's a saying in sport: 'Retire with grace... or retire with a golf handicap.' It's an unwritten law of the sports world — no matter how fast you sprinted, how high you leapt, how many goals you scored or the number of grand slams you amassed — at some point, all roads tend to lead to the golf course. And it starts innocently. Maybe you're the Welsh wizard Gareth Bale, a footballing superstar with lightning speed and a love for golf so strong that it inspired your infamous 'Wales. Golf. Madrid.' flag. You install replica holes from Augusta in your backyard. Before you know it, you're teeing up with the pros in a celebrity tournament, wondering why you ever bothered with shin pads and Nike Phantom GX boots! But Gareth is just one of many. Take Andriy Shevchenko — AC Milan's 2004 Ballon d'Or-winning Ukrainian striker. After making defenders weep for years, he now seeks peace and precision on fairways instead of football fields. The stakes feel just as high when it's you versus a 20-foot putt as it is when lining up a penalty kick from 12 yards. And then there's Formula 1 — the land of fireproof suits, flying pit stops, and wheel-to-wheel drama. You'd think they'd stick to adrenaline, but no. The great escape for drivers isn't into speedboats or parachutes. It's golf. Nico Rosberg, having conquered Hamilton and the world, now spends much of his retired time conquering bunkers instead. David Coulthard and Mark Webber, too, swapped burning rubber for burning tee shots. Even rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr. hits the links like he's chasing another world title, only this one comes with plaid pants and not the fire-retardant racing suit he donned when getting behind the wheel of his Dakar Rally-winning Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+. Jordan charts his course Across the Atlantic, America's sporting elite have their own obsession. Michael Jordan, the most competitive human ever to lace up a pair of sneakers, didn't just take up golf — he built his own private course designed so that he could beat everyone. NBA sensation and three-point specialist Steph Curry, meanwhile, is so good he's played in professional events — not as a gimmick, but as a genuine contender. NFL quarterbacks are especially susceptible to the golf bug. Tony Romo, the famed quarterback turned NFL game analyst plays off scratch, and has flirted with making it onto the PGA Tour. Peyton Manning and John Elway have thrown countless touchdowns — but they now chase birdies instead. Safer and for sure fewer concussions. Hockey? Oh, don't get us started. Wayne Gretzky might be the Great One on the ice, but in golf, he's known as 'Dustin Johnson's father-in-law.' The skaters love golf's slower pace, the warm weather, and the chance to swap bruises for bunker shots. From the green baize to the greens Even snooker legends like Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry have succumbed to the lure of the greens. You'd think they'd find golf boring after spending their careers thinking in terms of microscopic angles and cushion physics. But in fact, it's exactly what draws them in. Precision. Patience. Cricket? It's practically a gateway sport to golf. The transition is natural. Smooth strokes, quiet intensity, the need for unshakeable calm in front of a crowd. Players like Sir Ian Botham, Kevin Pietersen, and Ricky Ponting picked up clubs post-retirement like it was part of the cricketing manual. Kapil Dev, the 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning captain, even represented India in amateur golf tournaments. And horse racing? The jockeys might be small in stature, but they swing big. AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh galloped straight into the golf world, bringing with them a hunger for competition that grass and gallops couldn't fully satisfy. Besides, after a lifetime of strict diets and gruelling weight management, a leisurely round of golf (with a lemonade in hand) feels like paradise. So why golf? Because it's safe, yet competitive. Quiet, yet thrilling. You can play it well into your 70s and still lift your collar at the 19th hole. For athletes used to pressure, golf offers a different kind of addiction — one that's infuriating, meditative, and beautifully solitary. Golf is sport's ultimate second act. You may have made your name in boots, helmets, or silks. But eventually, you'll find yourself on a tee box, sizing up a par 3, muttering something about your short game and blaming your putter. Welcome to the 'club.' Literally
Washington Post
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Ukraine's Shevchenko hits back at UEFA and 'political factors' for soccer election loss
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian soccer federation president Andriy Shevchenko hit back at UEFA on Friday, one day after a heavy election loss , claiming he and his country 'were not welcome' to join its leadership. The former AC Milan and Dynamo Kyiv star and 2004 Ballon d'Or winner got votes from just 15 of the 55 UEFA member federations Thursday when seeking a seat on the European soccer body's decision-making executive committee.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Shevchenko hits back at UEFA and 'political factors' for soccer election loss
UAF President Andriy Shevchenko of Ukraine is pictured during the 49th ordinary UEFA congress, in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) UAF President Andriy Shevchenko of Ukraine is pictured during the 49th ordinary UEFA congress, in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) UAF President Andriy Shevchenko of Ukraine is pictured during the 49th ordinary UEFA congress, in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian soccer federation president Andriy Shevchenko hit back at UEFA on Friday, one day after a heavy election loss, claiming he and his country 'were not welcome' to join its leadership. The former AC Milan and Dynamo Kyiv star and 2004 Ballon d'Or winner got votes from just 15 of the 55 UEFA member federations Thursday when seeking a seat on the European soccer body's decision-making executive committee. Advertisement Shevchenko needed at least 28 votes to get one of the two vacant seats being contested by five candidates, and he was by far the most well-known. 'Unfortunately, in the last few days, we received clear signals that — due to political factors — both Ukraine and I personally were not welcome in UEFA's leadership,' Shevchenko said Friday in a statement published by the Ukrainian soccer federation. Shevchenko did not specify possible political reasons for the results in the election, which was won by candidates from Spain and Israel. One of the seats was effectively to replace Shevchenko's predecessor at the Ukrainian soccer body, Andrii Pavelko. At the 2024 annual meeting of UEFA, Ukraine was one of the few member federations not to support votes which let the governing body's president Aleksander Čeferin seek re-election in 2027. The Slovenian lawyer can now extend his mandate beyond what was the statutory limit of 12 years. Advertisement UEFA also tried in 2023 to ease a total ban on Russian national soccer teams playing in international competitions during the invasion of Ukraine. UEFA's proposed review to let Russian Under-17 teams play caused a rift on the executive committee and was dropped. On Thursday, Čeferin restated UEFA's position that Russia will be readmitted to international competitions only 'when the war stops.' Shevchenko was defiant Friday insisting 'we will not change our position.' 'We will continue with our reforms in Ukrainian football and remain committed to strong international communication in the interests of our nation and the entire football community,' he said. UEFA was approached for comment. ___ AP soccer:
