Kyiv: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed former Ukrainian soccer great Andriy Shevchenko as a special advisor and British actor Mark Strong as an ambassador to the charity that the Ukrainian president set up to raise money for Ukraine, his office announced Thursday. It was not clear what duties Andriy Shevchenko would perform as advisor to the president. However, the former star striker for Ukraine and squads across Europe suggested it would expand on his work as ambassador of ‘United24’, a charity created by Zelenskyy to collect donations for his nation after Russia’s invasion in 2022.
“My role hasn’t changed that much but I’m going to work even harder now,” Shevchenko said after playing in an all-star golf match Wednesday preceding the Ryder Cup outside Rome.”It’s an important job helping my country abroad through soccer and charity events and keeping people talking about Ukraine,” Shevchenko added.
Strong, who starred in the Kingsman movies, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Deep State TV show, was appointed as an ambassador of United24. Zelenskyy thanked him for his support of Ukraine since the invasion, according to the president’s website.
“It is an honour for me to become a voice for Ukrainian children on the world stage, so that they can have a better future,” Strong said.
The charity has so far raised USD 470 million from more than 110 countries, the president said. Other ambassadors include Barbra Streisand, actors Liev Schreiber and Ivanna Sakhno, historian Timothy Snyder and business mogul Richard Branson.
Shevchenko started and ended his career with Dynamo Kyiv. He joined AC Milan in 1999, winning a series of trophies with the Serie A club, including UEFA Champions League in 2003. He won the Ballon d’Or the following year as Europe’s best football player.
In 2006, Shevchenko signed with Chelsea for a then-British record fee of around 30 million pounds (now USD 31.7 million) and returned to Kyiv three years later after not living up to his reputation. He retired from playing in 2012 after a 17-year career and went on to coach the Ukraine national team.
Shevchenko spoke to reporters in Italian after playing in the match that included tennis great Novak Djokovic, fellow soccer player Gareth Bale and Formula One driver Carlos Sainz.
“As long as the war lasts I have to help in any way I can, because our people are really suffering,” Shevchenko said. “That’s my job.”