Former head coach of the Ukrainian national team, legendary Dynamo player Andriy Shevchenko recalled the most memorable goals in his career in an interview with The Athletic.
Andriy Shevchenko- It was then - after the away win over Barcelona (4:0) that people started to realise that it was a brilliant Dynamo Kyiv team and you were a fantastic player.
- Yes, that's exactly right. It's like an exhibition, it was our best performance. After this game everyone started talking about me, and about the team too. Great game, good goal.
- When they talk about that team, they always remember you and Sergei Rebrov. Why did you play so well on the pitch?
- Because we looked at football the same way. We were friends off the pitch as well, and when these relations improved, we started to play better.
- Tell us about how you scored that goal with your head.
- I knew that the goalkeeper would come out to the ball and I had to be first to get there. I had enough a small touch before the goalkeeper played - the ball was in the net.
- No less famous goal you scored in February 2000 for AC Milan: a pass through the Bari defence at 4:1. I'm sure you remember that moment.
- Yes, I just ran through. I knew I was quite a fast footballer at the time and I just tried to get past the first defender. That was one of my strengths because I stayed in front and waited for something like that to happen.
- Did you never have to go backwards to defend on corners?
- No, I didn't. The coach put me there, in that position. Just waiting for the ball to come in. I want to be in the best position to keep the ball. I get around the defender and just start running.
- There are some of those goals where the defenders keep trying to push you off the ball. In your new book you talk about the intensive physical training at Dynamo. Was it an important factor when you came to Italy?
- No, the main factor was my low centre of gravity, it is very low, quite stable. With good ball control you don't have to go to the right or left and the defender has to make his own decision what to do?
- You were very comfortable playing with both feet. Is that something you worked on as a kid?
- Well... especially when I played in Italy, I started working on my left foot.
- Legendary goal from a crazy angle against Juventus in a 1-1 draw, December 2001
This goal I don't need to imagine. It is often talked about as your best goal. Is it your favourite goal?
- One of them. I have to say it's a great goal, but .... there's a bit of luck involved. Because I was looking where my team-mates were and then I just tried to shoot because there was no chance of anyone coming into the penalty area. I just tried to put the ball in and it worked out really well. It's a good goal, good skill, to stay on your feet and then shoot.
- I remember people saying you were looking up....
- I always look up! Because I have to understand the position of the players, the position of the goalkeeper. It would be crazy if I didn't look before the shot. Was it a cross? No, of course not.
- And it was against Gianluigi Buffon. When you played against a man like that, did it change the way you shoot?
- From that angle, I could only hit like that. If I hit hard, it would have been easy to get my hands on the ball.
- What would you say about playing alongside Inzaghi?
- It was good. Pippo is a different type of player. I had to adapt to him, not him to me. Because Pippo is a typical striker, he doesn't move, he only sees the goal. So I had to adapt to play alongside him and I was the one who adapted. Most of the time we both scored, we were very close because in the penalty box we read situations in the same way.
- The next goal is quite famous - against Real Madrid.
- Yes. There was a great pass from Rui Costa. And by the time the ball came, I had already prepared, I saw the space. I had already managed to get there.
- At that time you often played with Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Rui Costa and Kaka. That must have been a dream come true?
- Yes, especially with the quality of those players. The passing was so good that you almost don't need to control the ball.
- The decisive 'away goal' - on home soil - in the Champions League semi-final return leg against Inter (1-1), May 2003.
- It's a great goal. A great goal. Firstly, Inter's defenders played on the player. When you play like that, the defenders don't have any structure. It should be a line, four defenders, or three against two. Materazzi came out, he should have stayed at the back. In that case we would never have scored that goal, because in that position, if they are defending three against two, there is no chance.
I could anticipate the goalkeeper's actions, I was 100 per cent sure I could score. Córdoba tried to trip me, but I stayed on my feet!
- The winning penalty in the Champions League final. Tell us about that goal.
- I remember just looking at the ball and then I heard the whistle. I made the decision when I saw the goalkeeper move. Waited, waited, waited.... And when I saw his body going to the left, I put the ball to the right. It was an amazing feeling for me. Buffon tried to trick me, but I just waited long enough to see him move.
- A good memory for you is also the goal against Tottenham (2-1) in March 2007 against Chelsea.
- It's an unbelievable goal. Absolutely incredible. It's one of my favourite goals. The force with which the ball flew was crazy. Did you see Drogba's reaction? He couldn't believe that goal.
- Two goals with a header in an emotional match of the Ukrainian national team against Sweden at Euro 2012. What do you say?
- Ah yes, two goals. It is interesting. The first goal is a work of art for me. I am waiting and I know that Yarmolenko will stop with the ball. He stopped the ball, entered the penalty area and I already know what he will do next. Next I create space for myself, and he delivers the ball exactly where it needs to go, because he is a great player, he understands everything. He looks and sees the space and then I just have to make the movement.
- Do you look at how far apart the centre-backs are?
- There's Olaf Mellberg next to him. There's Andreas Granqvist near the bar - I don't look at that player. I stop, I go. But I don't let Mellberg know about it ahead of time, because if I show him ahead of time, he'll spot me. I have to keep him a little bit behind me. You just have to be good at reading the moves and anticipating. It's a great goal.
- Has your game changed by this point?
- Yes, because I didn't have the same speed. And I had to prepare the position for myself much better. I was no longer the same player.
- And the last goal?
- Yes, but the same corner kick there, five minutes before, same position. In that case I made a movement (forward) and then I stayed behind. I move back and then I move in front of him again. Going a little bit in front so he didn't see my movement and then the ball was close, I just made that move.
- It was incredible - that must have been how you imagined this tournament?
- For me, those two goals were the Ukrainian final of my career. I was 35 years old, almost 36. It was the last tournament of my career. And I did my best, scored two goals in this amazing game.
Translation and adaptation - Volodymyr BOBYR, Dynamo.kiev.ua. When using the material, hyperlink is mandatory!
