President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andriy Shevchenko visited Reykjavík (Iceland) at the invitation of the Icelandic Football Association and its president, Tórdur Ólafsson, to participate in the prestigious Nordic Football Research Conference 2025.

This year's conference was dedicated to research that helps football associations, clubs, and coaches achieve results on the field. The focus was on innovative approaches to coaching work, game efficiency analysis, sports analytics, and psychology.

Photo by the UAF press service

On the first day of his visit, a meeting took place in the office of the Icelandic Football Association during which participants had the opportunity to discuss coaching experience, approaches to player development, as well as the specifics of playing careers in clubs from different countries.

On the second day of the conference, Andriy Shevchenko spoke before a wide football audience at the University of Reykjavík, which brought together participants from more than 15 countries.

During his presentations, Andriy Shevchenko shared his career path and also talked about his professional values as a player, coach, and football administrator, including identity, dedication, and belief in oneself.

Photo by the UAF press service

“It was an honor to share my football journey and philosophy with such an inspiring and devoted audience. Very grateful for the warm welcome and hospitality,” — Shevchenko noted.

He also expressed sincere gratitude to the event organizers:

“I sincerely thank the Icelandic Football Association, especially President Tórdur Ólafsson for inviting me to speak. Special thanks to the Icelandic football community for your continuous support of Ukraine — your solidarity is incredibly important to us. It's also important to note the support from other Nordic countries. Your strong position in European football — a powerful force and support, on which we rely greatly and are very grateful to all of you.”

Photo by the UAF press service

The UFA continues to initiate and implement projects aimed at supporting children's and youth football, developing coaching education, as well as social initiatives. Special attention is paid to the development of coaching education as a key prerequisite for forming quality football environments, preparing new generations of players, and ensuring stable sports infrastructure.

Andriy Shevchenko's participation in the conference was a vivid demonstration of international cooperation and exchange of experience aimed at developing football both nationally and globally.