Former Ukraine captain and head coach Andriy Shevchenko has been elected as the new president of the Ukrainian Football Association.

Shevchenko, the  only candidate standing for election, was unanimously voted in at the XXVI UAF congress in Kyiv on Thursday, with all 93 of his fellow delegates backing him.

The 47-year-old replaces Andriy Pavelko, a member of the UEFA executive committee who had been in the role since 2015.

Shevchenko, whose term will last for five years,  said on his X account “Today, I start my new role as the President of the Ukrainian Association of Football.

“A big and responsible task lies ahead – to develop Ukrainian football in the most difficult time in the history of Ukraine.”

He added on the Ukraine FA website: “Ukrainian football should be popular and accessible, national teams should be the pride of every Ukrainian, and clubs should be strong and effective. We plan to implement the best global practices for the rapid development of Ukrainian football and use football to overcome the trauma of war. There is a lot of work ahead.”

The former AC Milan, Chelsea and Dynamo Kyiv striker is Ukraine’s all-time leading goalscorer, netting 48 times in 111 games before hanging up his boots in 2012 and moving into politics.

The 2004 Ballon d’Or winner was also the head coach of Ukraine from 2016 to 2021 and helped guide them to the Euro 2020 quarter-finals, where they were beaten by England.