We know all about our favorite athletes ... or not? In this new section of my blog we explored 10 curiosities that we probably did not know about our favorite sports stars. In this edition we will know more about one of the best forwards of the history and legend of AC Milan, the Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko.

1) The radioactive man.

Shevchenko was born in Dvirkivschyna, in present-day Ukraine. The funny thing is that this city was just 50 kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear plant. When the nuclear accident occurred in 1985 Shevchenko was 9 years old and both he and his family were forced to evacuate the area to avoid being hit by radioactive fallout.

2) He was a boy boxer.

During his childhood Shevchenko practiced boxing and even came to have fights in the junior boxing league of Ukraine. However, as he was not so big or strong, his physique made him quit boxing and end up opting for football. It seems that he was not wrong.

3) The birth of "ShevaGol".

Since its inception, "Sheva" proved to be a player made for great moments. In the 1997/1998 season, he scored 33 goals in 41 games at Dinamo Kiev with only 21 years old. 3 of them arrived in a "magical night" of Champions in Camp Nou. That night the Dinamo beat 0-4 to Barcelona and Shevchenko scored a hat-trick in 3 minutes. Equally important was his double against Real Madrid in the final 8 of the Champions 1998-1999, which led Dinamo to the semifinals and the Ukrainian was recognized as the best striker of that Champions. Shevchenko's name was already around the world and the Ukrainian League was becoming too small.

4) Legend rossonera.

Shevchenko came to AC Milan in exchange for 25 million euros and would end up becoming one of the best players in club history. He won everything at the individual and club level with the Milan team, to the point of becoming the 2nd highest scorer of the institution with 175 goals.

5) Hero and villain in the Champions League.

The Ukrainian played heaven and hell in the highest club competition in the world. In the final of 2003 he was in charge of marking the decisive penalty in the shoot-off vs Juventus against Buffon himself. That night Sheva and Milan reached European glory. However, the story could not be repeated 2 years later. After the epic comeback of Liverpool in the Istanbul final, Shevchenko missed two goals in the final minutes of extra time and became the big villain by failing the decisive penalty against Dudek

6) Won the Golden Ball.

2004 was the best individual year of Shevchenko's career. The Ukrainian was the top scorer in Serie A, scoring 24 points that led AC Milan to the Italian champions for the first time in five years. Shevchenko's feat earned him the Gold Ball 2004, winning in the voting a certain Ronaldinho.

7) Your mentor, your inspiration.

Valery Lobanobski was his first coach at Dynamo Kyiv who trusted him and became his mentor. Lobanonski died in 2002 and so close was the relationship between them that when Shevchenko won the Champions in 2003, the first thing he did was take a plane to Ukraine to offer the medal to the great Lobanobski in his grave. After winning the Golden Ball in 2004, Sheva did the same and dedicated this award to her great mentor, making clear the great importance she had in her life.

8) Inter, his favorite victim.

Inter Milan became the favorite client of Shevchenko's goals. Throughout his career he scored 15 goals to neroazzurri.

9) Shevchenko the poet.

Sheva has a great passion for poetry and for Ukrainian culture in general. He is a big fan of the poet Taras Schevchenko, the most renowned Ukrainian author. During the gatherings at Dinamo Kiev, the forward used to carry books and play with the team's kinesiologist to see who remembered more verses. There is no doubt that he is a great passionate about literature.

10) From the field to the bench.

After an unsuccessful foray into the world of politics, Shevchenko focused again on football. Since 2016 he is in DT of the Selection of Ukraine and his country has the hopes placed in his national idol, with the confidence that he will return them to a World Cup; now not with their goals, but with their decisions and tactics.