You're reading: New York Times: Ukraine’s ruthless finisher takes on politics

Andriy Shevchenko, first among goal scorers in his part of the world, is leaving soccer to become a politician.

He gave Ukraine a victory over Sweden with two sharp, superbly angled
headers in Kiev during the Euro 2012 tournament last month. But those
goals — taking him to 48 in 111 national team appearances — were the
last of a career that made him one of the best, and richest, strikers of
his time.

The mind, as we saw in Kiev, was still sharp. But the body was telling
him to go before he deteriorated further still. His back was aching, his
thigh was strained. And after he suffered a kick to his knee, not even
Shevchenko could lift Ukraine to another victory.

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