Shevchenko honoured in Ukraine
Friday, June 6, 2003
Article summary
AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has been honoured with Ukraine's national Order of Merit.
Article body
Ukraine's president, Leonid Kuchma, has honoured AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko with the national Order of Merit.
Ukrainian prestige
The 25-year-old has been given the award for his "significant personal effort for increasing the prestige of Ukrainian football in the world", according to Kuchma's official statement. By scoring the decisive penalty which earned AC Milan victory in this season's UEFA Champions League final, he became the first Ukrainian to win club football's top prize.
Footballing career
Touching moment
After returning to Kiev with the European Champion Clubs' Cup in June, Shevchenko took it with him as he visited the statue of his mentor, former Dynamo and Ukraine coach Valeriy Lobanovskiy, at the Lobanovskiy stadium.
