Ukraine's star striker Andriy Shevchenko said he is leaving football to enter politics.
He said in a statement on the Dynamo Kiev website, "Probably, I will shock all of you. My future will not be linked to football in any way... It will be linked to politics. I hope for your support."
Shevchenko added later that he will join a pro-business party called Ukraine Forward!, whose leader, Nataliya Korolevska, has broken away from the opposition party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Shevchenko made his final football appearance for Ukraine at Euro 2012 last month.
His career began in the 1990s at Dynamo Kyiv and included collecting the European footballer of the year award in 2004 with AC Milan, and then playing with Chelsea before returning to Kyiv.
He said in a statement on the Dynamo Kiev website, "Probably, I will shock all of you. My future will not be linked to football in any way... It will be linked to politics. I hope for your support."
Shevchenko added later that he will join a pro-business party called Ukraine Forward!, whose leader, Nataliya Korolevska, has broken away from the opposition party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Shevchenko made his final football appearance for Ukraine at Euro 2012 last month.
His career began in the 1990s at Dynamo Kyiv and included collecting the European footballer of the year award in 2004 with AC Milan, and then playing with Chelsea before returning to Kyiv.