Shevchenko's speed, power, close control and a clinical, cold-blooded accuracy in front of goal convinced the mighty AC Milan to pay Dynamo Kiev some 37 million dollars for him in 1999 and he has since proved to be worth every cent with a veritable flood of goals from the word go. The Ballon d'Or (European footballer of the year award) he won in 2004 was in recognition of his contribution to the 2003 Champions League winning campaign and the 2004 Italian championship. By that time he had scored 102 goals in 164 matches in the ultra-defensive Italian league and has since signed a deal with Milan until 2009, when he will be 33. Even in his very first season with Milan he managed 24 goals from 32 matches, making him the first ever foreigner to top the scoring charts in Italy in his maiden campaign. On 8 February 2006, he became Milan's second all-time goalscorer, behind Gunnar Nordahl. Andriy Shevchenko is the second all time highest goal scorer for Milan, with 175 goals from 324 matches.