The 2004 Ballon D'Or winner said he was overwhelmed by the youngsters' determination to play football despite the carnage around them.

Shevchenko, 46, the son of "a military man" who despite his upbringing "stood against wars all his life", was so angry at the Russian invasion in February he "felt such excruciating pain I couldn't even breathe".

"I couldn't comprehend the fact that bombs are falling and rockets are flying in the centre of democratic Europe now," he said, speaking this week.

"They fly towards my home, towards everything I love. I had to decide on what I should do to help my country quickly. "I thought about everything I'm capable of and where I can be most effective.

"And I realised that I have to use the power of my name, to fight for Ukraine publicly". Shevchenko, unlike some Ukrainian sports stars who took up arms, chose an ambassadorial role to showcase his country's plight.

The 2003 Champions League winner with AC Milan and top tennis player Elina Svitolina "immediately" accepted an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to become ambassadors for a charity called United24.

He met the president in Kyiv on May 18. "It was the first time I came to Ukraine since February 24, the war had been going on for two and a half months already, and Russian troops had only just retreated from the city".

"I saw an empty, and yet indomitable, Kyiv. It was a very emotional moment for me, as well as my meeting with the president".

The charity was launched by Zelensky to collect donations to cover Ukraine's most pressing needs: Defence and de-mining, medical aid and to rebuild the country which has been devastated since Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.

Say No! to war.
Peace is the greatest gift to humanity.

Heal the world.
Make it a better place for you, for me, and the entire human race.
~ Michael Jackson.

This war should've ended now