Shevchenko Holds Key To Ukraine Chances Against England
England's chances of going through to the next round of the European Championship
could depend on the fate of the Ukrainian centre-forward Andriy Shevchenko's knee.
The 35-year-old veteran, who will retire after the tournament, received a bang on his left knee during Ukraine's 2-1 win over Sweden in their opening game. He then aggravated it in the loss to France last Friday. He has been missing training ever since as doctors and physios work to get his left knee in shape for the crucial encounter against England.
Ukrainian manager Oleh Blokhin rated his chances as 50-50 on the eve of the game. Blokhin has become irritated by the number of questions about his star striker's fitness, calling it an insult to the rest of his squad, but the focus on his side's one world-class talent is understandable. Blokhin is likely to gamble on Shevchenko at some time in the match as Ukraine must win to go through.
Better record than Rooney
Although arguably past his best, Shevchenko scored both goals against Sweden last week and he has a magnificent record in both club and international football. For one of Europe's least fancied sides, he has scored 48 goals in 110 matches. This is a better goal-scoring ratio than Wayne Rooney's 28 goals in 74 games. In his illustrious international career, the striker captained Ukraine to the quarter-finals in their first ever FIFA World Cup appearance in 2006.
Shevchenko's record at club level, however, is even more distinguished, with the exception of his time at Chelsea, which was a disappointment.
He is the third-highest goalscorer in Champions League history behind Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ral. His tally of 175 goals for Milan makes him the second most prolific player in the history of the club.
Ballon d'Or
Shevchenko's career has been highlighted by many awards, the most prestigious of which was the Ballon d'Or in 2004. He won the UEFA Champions League in 2003 with Milan, and he has also won various league and cup titles in Ukraine, Italy, and England.
Shevchenko's career has come full circle and after spending so many years playing abroad, he now plays for the Ukraine's Dynamo Kiev. But he also has strong links to Dubai, where he has invested in The First Group's exclusive hotel apartments at Metro Central.
Shevchenko is one of a number of international stars who have seen the potential in the Dubai real estate market, especially at the high end. Other investors in the First Group's Dubai properties include fellow international footballers Nwankwo Kanu and Michael Owen, as well as tennis player Svetlna Aleksndrovna Kuznetsva, South African rugby star Bryan Habana and Scottish golfer and former Ryder cup captain Sam Torrance.
Interest in Dubai hotel developments
Their level of interest shows how much confidence has returned to property market after the financial crisis of 2008.
This should spark interest in the many new hotel developments, such as The First Group's two luxury hotel apartment projects in Tecom, Metro Central and Grand Central, which are situated in the bustling business district of Tecom in the heart of "New Dubai". The luxury end of the market did particularly well in 2011, soaring 17.6 per cent
by: Cain Masters
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