Andriy Shevchenko was born in the Kiev regional town of Yagotyn and until 1979 lived in Dvirkivschina before moving to the newly-built housing district of Obolon in Kiev. 
Andriy started playing football at school and then joined a team organised by the housing association and coached by a woman. At just nine-years-old, he was spotted by Dynamo scout Alexandr Shpakov, during a school tournament, who took him to Kiev where he played in the junior side.

His parents were not too keen at first and Andriy’s father Nikolay wanted the youngster to follow him into the military when he finished school. Andriy was also hindered by the fact he had to travel right across the city to go training, but with Shpakov’s support he persisted and football became his life. 

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster meant an end to training for a time. In the spring of 1986, Andriy became one of the numerous youngsters to transfer to a school away from the disaster zone. After two months, Andriy returned to Kiev and back to playing in Shpakov’s side who Alexandr Lysenko was to coach in 1992.

In August 1991, Andriy’s side became the last winner of the USSR junior championship - a competition for boys born in 1976. Sheva started out at in a more defensive role and in 1990 the young Dynamo team won the Ian Rush Cup in Wales. Andriy made his mark as the top scorer in the tournament and received a pair of boots from the famous striker. Meanwhile, a visit to the San Siro fired his dream to play for Milan but before that came true there was plenty to win with Dynamo Kiev.

In the spring of 1992, Shevchenko moved up to Dynamo 2 (Dynamo Kiev’s second team) where he came under the guidance of Vladimir Onishenko. The following season, he was the side’s top scorer with 12 goals. On April 26, 1994, Andriy came to a wider audience in a televised international junior game between Ukraine and Holland. He scored in a 2-2 draw and put in an eye-catching display. He made his senior first-team debut on November 8, 1994 against Shakhtar Donetsk when he came on for Gishkariani in the 54th minute. This had already made his international Under-21 debut on October 11 against Slovenia.


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