Yashin Lev Ivanovich. Russian national football team

Lev Yashin played his last match 46 years ago, but he is still called the best goalkeeper in the history of football. Even the developers from Electronic Arts do not argue with this: the Canadians included the Soviet player in the list of FIFA 18 legends and awarded him a prestigious rating.

Lev Yashin won the USSR Cup even in hockey

The great goalkeeper was very fond of “Russian” bandy. He often went on the ice and played in attack. But at that moment, at the turn of the 40s and 50s, the country was already falling ill with the “Canadian” disease, that is, with the puck. In the 1946/47 season, the first USSR championship was played, the historic debut goal was scored by Arkady Chernyshev, the future legendary coach of Dynamo. It was he who brought Yashin into the hockey gates in 1950.

Chernyshev also worked with Dynamo football youth and saw how the newcomer was going through. Yashin had a bad start to his football career: he was very nervous and once missed a goal from the opposing goalkeeper. Chernyshev complained to Lev to try himself on the court, in attack. He agreed without much enthusiasm, but decided to defend the gate.

“I secretly hoped that playing as a hockey goalie would help hone my football skills—even then, it turns out, I firmly connected my future with football. The long one, in heavy armor, could not cope with the tiny puck. Out of football habit, he kept trying to catch her. There was no trap in the goalkeeper’s gloves then, and the newcomer, throwing his stick to the side, strove to grab the puck like a ball, with both hands, and smashed them into blood,” writes Alexander Soskin, author of the book “Lev Yashin. Shine through tears."

Just like in football, Yashin gradually got involved. He found common language with Dynamo's main goalkeeper, Estonian Karl Liiv. During the training camp I lived in the same room and followed him during training.

In 1953, Yashin became a championship winner and played a victorious Cup final. After that, he finally went into football, although he was named among the candidates for the hockey team.

Records of Lev Yashin

Soon he will already be third after the famous goalkeepers Alexei Khomich and Walter Sanay in the starting lineup. Since then, Lev Yashin played only for Dynamo, spending 22 seasons in this club’s jersey, which is a unique achievement. Yashin became so attached to this team that he even played in matches for the national team with the letter “D” on his chest.

Few people know that at first Lev Yashin played both football and hockey at the same time, and he also showed very significant results in playing with the puck. For example, in 1953 he became the champion of the USSR and was even a candidate for the national team, but it was then that he decided to focus exclusively on football.

It must be said that in one of his first football matches for Dynamo, Lev Ivanovich missed a very curious goal, which went down in the history of Soviet sports. The Volgograd "Traktor" goalkeeper kicked the ball forward, it flew to the Dynamo goalkeeper's penalty area, but Yashin accidentally collided with a defender and the goal was not protected. But this failure did not break Leo, but, on the contrary, made him even stronger.

The goalkeeper began to use innovative methods of playing in the penalty area, using not only his hands, as was customary for goalkeepers of that time, but also actively playing with his feet. The coaches of Dynamo and the USSR national team often had to listen to dissatisfied statements from the Ministry of Sports, whose leaders simply could not understand why Yashin did not play “the old fashioned way” and called his style a “circus”.

The next innovation that the Dynamo goalkeeper introduced was hitting the ball instead of the previously obligatory fixation. This was a natural breakthrough in football, because a strongly launched “projectile” is very difficult to catch tightly. And Yashin began to knock him aside or transfer him over the crossbar for a corner kick. And although Lev Ivanovich, by modern standards, was not the tallest for his role, his jumping ability and long arms did their job.

All over the world, the Soviet goalkeeper was called the “Black Panther” for his flexibility, and the “Black Spider” for his instant movement along the goal frame. The color of these nicknames was due to the black goalkeeper's jersey, which Yashin invariably wore. Largely thanks to their goalkeeper, Dynamo Moscow became the national champion five times, won the cup three times and took prizes many times.

In 1960, Lev Yashin and the national team Soviet Union won the European Championship, and before that he won the Olympic Games. For his achievements, he was awarded the most honorable individual trophy for a football player - the Golden Ball. Until now, not a single goalkeeper in the world has been able to repeat his achievements. For goalkeepers, Lev Yashin is the same legendary example as for field players - the Brazilian Pele, with whom the Soviet football player, by the way, was friends.

The legendary player played his last match on May 27, 1971. It was a farewell match between the team of the Dynamo society from different cities and the team of world stars. Englishman Bobby Charlton, German Gerd Muller, Portuguese Eusebio and other high-class football players of that time came to Moscow. At the end of his career, Lev Yashin became a coach, but did not achieve much in this field. He was mainly involved with children's and youth teams.

According to international media and various football federations, Lev Yashin is the best goalkeeper of the 20th century, and is also included in the list of the greatest football players in the history of “sport No. 1”.

He was ahead of his time

Today there are goalkeepers, such as Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich, who are excellent with their feet. This is where Yashin was ahead of his time.

He was known for being the team's last stand, capable of true acrobatic feats to save them when needed. At the same time, he was also known for always knowing what position to take, so there was no need for him to quickly improvise.

Yashin also had leadership qualities, he directed the defensive players while the goalkeeper would normally be on the line. On the field, Yashin was like a free defender, and if he was seen outside his 16 meters, there was nothing unusual about it. He berated his own defenders so often that his wife allegedly chided him for shouting too much on the field.

Back in 1961, Kjell Kaspersen and Norway lost 0-3. This was one of two matches in which Caspersen faced the famous goalkeeper.

“He was not one of those goalkeepers who stands in one place all the time. He worked really hard on the field,” Caspersen said.

It used to be quite unusual for goalkeepers to throw the ball out of danger zone, instead they mostly tried to grab the ball. Yashin was not afraid to throw the ball away if he felt that it was the best alternative.

“They were more interested in keeping the ball than today's players. Today the balls are completely different, they are not easy,” says Kaspersen, who had to retrieve the ball from his goal three times during the match with the USSR team.

Sports achievements of Lev Yashin

Team

Dynamo (hockey club)

  • Winner of the USSR Cup: 1953
  • Bronze medalist of the USSR Championship: 1953

Dynamo (football club)

  • USSR Champion ( 5 ): 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1963
  • Winner of the USSR Cup ( 3 ): 1953, 1967, 1970
  • Silver medalist of the USSR Championship ( 5 ): 1956, 1958, 1962, 1967, 1970
  • Bronze medalist of the USSR Championship: 1960

USSR national team

  • Olympic champion (Melbourne 1956)
  • Winner of the European Cup (France, 1960)
  • European Cup silver medalist: 1964
  • Bronze medalist (for 4th place) at the FIFA World Cup (London, 1966)

Personal

  • Winner of the Ballon d'Or as the best footballer in Europe according to France Football: 1963
  • 11 times recognized as the best goalkeeper of the USSR
  • In the list of the best football players of the season in the USSR 16 times, of which No. 1 (1955-1966 and 1968) - 13 times, No. 2 (1953), No. 3 (1969) and b/n (1967)
  • Lev Yashin is the best goalkeeper of the 20th century according to IFFIS
  • Honored Master of Sports (1957)
  • "Goalkeeper of the Year" ( 3 ): 1960, 1963, 1966
  • Member of the symbolic team following the results of the European Championship according to UEFA ( 2 ): 1960, 1964
  • The best football player in Russia for the period 1954-2003 (anniversary prize for the 50th anniversary of UEFA)
  • Included in the World Championships team (2002)
  • Included in the list of the greatest football players of the 20th century according to World Soccer

How the idols left. Last days and watches of people's favorites Razzakov Fedor

YASHIN LEV

YASHIN LEV(football goalkeeper of the capital Dynamo (1950–1970), USSR national team (1954–1967), USSR champion (1954–1955, 1957, 1959, 1963), Olympic champion (1956), European Cup winner (1960), 2 1st European Championship medalist (1964) died on March 20, 1990 at the age of 61).

Yashin began having health problems shortly after he retired from big-time sports. He had long-standing gastritis, which eventually developed into an ulcer. Obliterating endarteritis of the legs, accompanied by severe pain, was fraught with enormous danger, and the fact that Yashin smoked a lot did not contribute to his recovery. Yashin began to move less, which is why cholesterol plaques began to clog the veins in his legs. In the early 80s, he suffered a stroke, one arm began to move poorly, and his leg began to drag. Doctors advised Yashin to go to the hospital, but he suffered from the disease on his legs. But it was not in vain. In 1984, he went on a tour abroad leading a group of veterans of Soviet football, and there his right leg gave out. I had to have surgery. It took place in Hungary, and it was unsuccessful. Yashin and his wife then took a long time to get to Moscow and were late - our doctors had to amputate their leg.

Unfortunately, this was not the last test that Yashin had to endure. Shortly after the amputation, he was diagnosed with cancer. And Yashin knew that the disease was progressing rapidly. However, he didn’t show it. Only once, when he was awarded the Gold Star of the Hero Socialist Labor and the Order of Lenin, he could not stand it - he cried.

In August 1989, it was decided to solemnly celebrate the approaching 60th anniversary of the great goalkeeper. The celebration lasted two days: first it took place at the Dynamo stadium on August 10. Newspaper "Football" Hockey” published an extensive report from this event in its August issue. I will give just an excerpt from it:

“What was it worth for Yashin’s entrance into the hall! Leaning heavily on a crutch, supported by his wife and friends, he moved from behind the scenes to his place in the front row of the stalls, and the audience stood up in unison and gave a standing ovation. How accustomed we are to waving banners and banners, and Yashin, in response to the ovation, made the most human gesture - he raised his crutch over his head as a sign of greeting, and slowly, leaning on his prosthesis, walked, surrounded by a crowd of people, his ten meters . Look, they say, the smoking room is alive!..”

Meanwhile, most of those present at this evening had no idea that they were seeing the great goalkeeper for the last time.

At the beginning of 1990, Yashin fell ill completely. Knowing that his days were numbered, his friends did everything possible to somehow support him. They pushed through the idea of ​​awarding the famous goalkeeper the title of “Hero of Socialist Labor” to the “top” (those in power themselves would never have guessed about this). President M. Gorbachev agreed to publish a decree on the award, and the presentation was scheduled for March 14.

N. Simonyan recalls: “Alexey Paramonov and I went to the Yashins’ apartment. Lev Ivanovich was sitting on the sofa, next to him were Ozerov, Gennady Khazanov and Volodya Fedin, his long-term friend. There is also a doctor and orderlies in the room. Lev Ivanovich looked very bad: sunken, pale yellow cheeks, deeply sunken eyes, he had lost terribly weight. The impression is more than painful. I sat down next to him.

- Congratulations, Levushka.

- Why do I need such a high reward? – he spoke quietly, as if he was guilty of something. – After all, there are more worthy people in our sport. Isn't that so, Nikita?

- No, not like that. You deserve it for a long time high award, the planet knows and honors you. Awarding you a high title means that they understood and recognized that sport is a huge, exhausting work and at the same time the glory of the fatherland, and in your person recognition of the merits of all our sport.

I was not prepared for such a long tirade, but I was filled with a feeling of gratitude to a great and humble man. Lev looked at me with dull eyes and leaned back on the sofa.

We were waiting for Gorbachev's arrival. There are many cars with flashing lights on the highway, and there are security officers everywhere. The President was delayed. But then the sirens howled, and soon Rafik Nishanovich Nishanov appeared, accompanied by security.

“Mikhail Sergeevich asked to excuse him, but he is very busy,” it seemed to me that Nishanov said embarrassedly.

Yes, I thought, in what other country is this possible? I am sure that any president would put aside all important matters and come to the man who glorified the country, especially if he was sick. Well, God be with him, the people’s love and gratitude for Yashin does not decrease because of this, but the opinion about the president will change and, of course, not in his favor.

The award ceremony has begun. Valentina Timofeevna with difficulty lifted Lev Ivanovich from the sofa, he leaned on her shoulder and stood up. We must pay tribute to Rafik Nishanovich, he said a lot of heartfelt, warm words about Lev Ivanovich and pinned the “Golden Star” on the lapel of his jacket. We gave Yashin a standing ovation.

“Friends, Rafik Nishanovich,” I said, “according to custom, the star needs to be washed!”

“What objections can there be,” Nishanov picked up.

They immediately opened Armenian cognac and drank to Lev Ivanovich’s health...”

A few days after this award, Yashin’s health deteriorated sharply. He was again admitted to the Central Clinical Hospital. There he died on March 20 at 21:00 Moscow time. His wife Valentina Timofeevna recalls: “When Leva was dying, I sat by his bed. He whispers: “Listen, the train is leaving, let’s go quickly, my jacket is hanging there.” The great goalkeeper was buried at the Vagankovskoye cemetery.

On October 22, 2002, on the very day when L. Yashin would have turned 73 years old, his 14-year-old grandson Sasha was fatally injured. He was riding a bicycle and, having stumbled upon a stone, fell and hit the back of his head hard on the ground. Doctors performed two operations on him, which did not give a positive result. Opinions differed regarding the third operation, since the boy began to experience cerebral edema. After lying in a coma for almost three weeks, the boy died. He was buried at the Vagankovskoye cemetery next to his legendary grandfather.

From the book 100 great athletes author Sugar Burt Randolph

LEV IVANOVICH YASHIN (1929-1990) The outstanding Brazilian football player Pele once said: “I deeply appreciate the art of this magnificent master, whom I consider one of the best goalkeepers of our time. Yashin went down in the history of world football not only as a magnificent

From the book 100 great football players author Malov Vladimir Igorevich

From the book Dossier on the Stars: truth, speculation, sensations. They are loved and talked about author Razzakov Fedor

Lev YASHIN L. Yashin was born on October 22, 1929 into a working-class family. I started playing football almost as soon as I stood on my feet and learned to walk. He kicked the ball everywhere: in the yard, at school, at the stadium closest to home. When, during the war, Yashin, like thousands of Soviet teenagers, came

From the book Tenderness author Razzakov Fedor

Lev YASHIN The legend of world football was married only once. This acquaintance took place when he was already playing for the capital's Dynamo - in 1954. His wife Valentina Timofeevna recalls: “We met Leva in the late 40s at a dance. We were both from Tushino. Leva worked

From the book Memory That Warms Hearts author Razzakov Fedor

YASHIN Lev YASHIN Lev (football goalkeeper of the capital Dynamo (1950–1970), USSR national team (1954–1967), USSR champion (1954–1955, 1957, 1959, 1963), Olympic champion (1956), winner of the European Cup ( 1960), 2nd prize-winner of the European Championship (1964); died on March 20, 1990 at the age of 61). Problems with

From the book The Light of Faded Stars. They left that day author Razzakov Fedor

March 20 – Lev YASHIN This man was called the “Gagarin of Soviet football”. And this was not an exaggeration. Like the first cosmonaut of the Earth, this man also became the personification of the Soviet system, its most famous and promoted brand, known even in the most remote

From the book Guard of Soviet Football author Vasiliev Pavel Alexandrovich

LEV YASHIN Journalist and poet Sergei Shmitko recalled how long he questioned the USSR national team doctor Savely Myshalov about characteristic Yashin words and unknown episodes. Myshalov refused. And suddenly... “One day I heard phone call. “I remembered!” - exclaims

From the KGB book as I knew it from the inside. Some touches author Smirnov Boris Ivanovich

From the book Football We Lost. Unsaleable stars of the USSR era author Razzakov Fedor

Lion in the goal Lev Yashin, Dynamo, Moscow This man was called the “Gagarin of Soviet football.” And this was not an exaggeration. Like the first cosmonaut of the Earth, this man also became the personification of the Soviet system, its most famous and promoted brand, known even in

Maybe I’m wrong, but, in my opinion, his name is known to everyone who knows that there is such a game - football. And there’s no need to talk about those who were lucky enough to see him play, the experienced fans.

He was GREAT! And not only the Soviet press spoke and wrote about his greatness; his phenomenon was recognized throughout the world. He was admired by journalists, fans and players against whom Lev Yashin played.

It was no coincidence that I placed a photo of Yashin together with Pele at the beginning of the post. Agree, such an assessment of the king of football is expensive.

He is the best in the world, at least in his role

Well, since I started with assessments of the greats of the football world, I will continue.

  • Eusebio is another ball wizard from Portugal:
    “Lev Yashin is an incomparable goalkeeper, the best in our century”
  • Sir Bobby Charlton - captain of Manchester United, best European footballer 1966:
    “Yashin is an outstanding goalkeeper. I am sure that there will be no such thing. He's also a great guy."
  • Franz Beckenbauer - admitted twice best football player Europe:
    “This is not just a goalkeeper from God - this is one of the greatest football players”

It’s still impossible to tell everything about this person. But, I will try to tell you about the main thing as interesting as possible. From the article you will learn:

  1. What Yashin did for Soviet and world football...
  2. About his unique tricks in training...
  3. About how the country persecuted the one whom it idolized just yesterday... and about the fact that the rest football world didn't betray him
  4. About how, after the 1966 World Cup in England, they couldn’t take a doping test from Lev Ivanovich...
  5. Why did Gabriel Dmitrievich Kachalin call Lev Ivanovich a scoundrel...
  6. About how Santiago Bernabeu invited Yashin to Real Madrid
  7. And finally, about what kind of bastards and freaks there are among the fans...

So, read to the end

Golden Lev Yashin

  • The only winner in the world of the France Football weekly prize is the Golden Ball.
  • He played for the USSR national team until he was 38 years old and played 78 games (14 seasons in a row)
  • Played 326 matches (22 seasons) at Dynamo Moscow
  • In total, according to statistics from the public press center of Dynamo Moscow, Lev Ivanovich has accumulated 812 games.
  • Record holder among all Soviet football players in the number of medals:
    Gold – (1954,1955,1957,1959,1963),
    Silver – 1956,1958,1962,1967,1970),
    Bronze – 1960
  • Best goalkeeper countries in 1956-1968.
  • Olympic champion of the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
  • European Champion 1960 in Paris
  • Participated in the finals of the World Cup three times (1958,1962,1966).
  • He played his farewell match 813 on May 27, 1971.

Many people call Yashin a revolutionary in football. In any case, no one did what is now considered the norm before Lev Ivanovich:

  1. He was the first goalkeeper to start putting the ball into play with his hand. Moreover, he could throw the ball almost to the middle of the field. Well, there’s nothing to say about the fact that this method is much more accurate than entering from your feet.
  2. First out of the penalty area
  3. Knowing how to read the game perfectly, he was the first to direct the defenders during its course

There were legends about Lev Ivanovich's jumping ability and flexibility. Actually, thanks to her, Leo received the nickname Panther...

That's right - a panther. The lion, indeed, could make incredible jumps.

A very interesting incident occurred at the World Cup in Sweden 1958 during a game with Austria. I don’t know why Yashin needed this show off, but what happened was…

Ours were leading 2:0 and a penalty was awarded... Yashin defiantly stands near the left post... The Austrian shoots exactly into the lower right corner... Yashin takes it.

Well what can I say? The head coach of the national team, Gavriil Kachalin, spoke about this as follows:

“Well, I’ll tell you, you, Leo, are a scoundrel. A scoundrel, not a guy. Well, you have to be such a scoundrel!”

Biography of Lev Yashin. Main dates.

Lev Ivanovich Yashin was born on October 22, 1929 in Moscow. The family lived in small apartment on Millionnaya Street, next to the Krasny Bogatyr plant, where Lev’s parents worked.
Like all the boys of that time, Leva disappeared on the street day and night. In the summer they kicked the ball, in the winter they played hockey. I hardly thought about goalkeeping, although in 1936 the film “Goalkeeper” was released and its main character Anton Kandidov became the idol of many boys.

  • 1946 - Lev Yashin was awarded the medal “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War”
  • Autumn 1947 - Conscripted into the Soviet army (internal troops)
  • June 1949 – Invited to Dynamo youth team
  • 1950 – Transferred to the main team. But, after the first 3 unsuccessful matches, he was sent back. That same year I tried my hand at ice hockey for the first time.
  • 1951-1953 - Combined football and hockey. Moreover, he showed it in hockey excellent results. Also in the goalkeeper position.
    In 1953, Yashin, together with Dynamo, won the USSR Cup and bronze in the national championship. Moreover, his name was among the candidates for the main USSR national team for the 1954 World Cup. And yet, Yashin chose football.
  • 1954 - USSR champion with Dynamo and debut in the USSR national football team.
  • 1955 – Again gold at the Union Championship and awarding the title “Master of Sports”.
  • 1956 – Silver in the home championship and gold at the XVI Olympic Games in Melbourne.
  • 1957 - And again Dynamo is the champion.. Yashin awarded the order Red Banner of Labor and he was awarded the title “Honored Master of Sports”.
  • 1960 – USSR national team – European champion. Lev Yashin was awarded the Order of Lenin. Ogonyok magazine declares him the best goalkeeper of the USSR.
  • In 1962 - the “Black” year in the life of Lev Ivanovich. At the World Championships in Chile, Yashin concedes 7 goals in 4 games and Soviet journalists blame him for the defeat from the hosts in the quarterfinals. After the championship, Yashin falls into disgrace with the officials and (worst of all, with the fans). But, more on that later...
  • 1963 – Fifth gold at the USSR Championship. Lev Yashin was included in the world team for a friendly match between the England team and the world team, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of English football. And in December 1963, Lev Ivanovich was recognized as the best football player in Europe. In the entire history of football, this is the only time when a goalkeeper received the Golden Ball.
  • 1964 – Silver at the European Championship in Spain.
  • 1966 Fourth place at the World Championships in England. Yashin was awarded the title “Master of Sports of International Class”
  • 1971 – Farewell match
  • 1985 - The IOC awards Yashin with the Olympic Order.
  • 1988 - FIFA Golden Order of Merit award.
  • 1990 - A few days before his death, Lev Ivanovich Yashin is awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.
  • Lev Ivanovich Yashin died on March 20, 1990. Buried GREAT man at the Vagankovskoe cemetery.

These are the dry numbers and dates. But how much health, strength and courage lies behind them!

Lev Ivanovich Yashin: “Thank you, people!”

He will have a nice rest today!

These are lines from a song by Vladimir Semenovich Vysotsky, dedicated to Lev Yashin. And they refer to the poor fellow photojournalist, who is unsuccessfully waiting for the moment when Lev Ivanovich misses a goal. This is the song. Listen

Yes, it was difficult for Yashin to score.

More than 150 penalties taken. This number says a lot.

Some world football stars complained that the goal was not visible behind it. 🙂

Thank you from all the Russian people

Lev Ivanovich became a national favorite after the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Then our team became the Olympic champion. I have already written that I have my own attitude towards that triumph, but the fact that it was thanks to Yashin’s reliable play that the USSR national team won gold is indisputable.

How the people applauded. Listen to a very touching story.

While returning home from Vladivostok to Moscow, an elderly man entered the train, found Yashin... And then, taking moonshine and a bag of seeds out of the bag, he fell to his knees and said:

“That's all there is. Thank you from all the Russian people"

Enter the contract amount yourself. How Bernabeu called Yashin to Real Madrid

And then there was 1960. And our team’s victory at the European Championships in France. The victory was soaked in the Eiffel Tower restaurant.

And Santiago Bernabeu himself gave each player a cool watch, and then gave everyone an envelope containing a contract with Real Madrid. But only Lev Yashin was asked to enter the contract amount himself.

And again, stormy manifestations of popular and bureaucratic love. Order of Lenin and recognition of Lev Ivanovich Yashin as the best goalkeeper of the USSR.

“Leva, great!”, “Leva, good fellow.” They hugged, kissed... We met and escorted home. The suitcase was carried instead of him. But, as they say, from love to hate...

Yashin is a hole.

1962 Final part World Championships in Chile. In the quarterfinals, our players lose to the hosts 1:2 and go home.

The Soviet press blames Yashin for the loss. Lev Ivanovich is subjected to such persecution that it is not clear how he found the strength to stay.

Everyone, officials and fans, hounded him. And the worst thing is that people did this without even seeing the game! And it never occurred to anyone that the score was only 1:2, not because of, but thanks to Yashin. But, since Pravda wrote that Yashin is to blame and it’s time for him to retire, that means away with him!

From the main Dynamo squad, Yashin was removed from the reserve team... He was booed, windows were broken, offensive messages were written in the entrances, and his car was smashed.

Thank you, World, thank you, Europe, for returning Yashin.

The foreign press assessed our goalkeeper’s performance completely differently. And not only the press.

On October 23, the “Match of the Century” took place. In honor of the 100th anniversary of English football, the England team hosted the world team at Wembley. And one of the goalkeepers who defended the goal of the star team was Lev Ivanovich Yashin. And it was truly a royal gift for his birthday!

Lev Ivanovich defended the entire first half and did not miss a single goal. If you want, you can watch the “Match of the Century” and Yashin’s game online right here. Here she is.

None of our goalkeepers has ever received such recognition of a football player’s skill.

Just as he was not awarded the Golden Ball prize as the best football player in Europe, which Lev Ivanovich was awarded in the same 1963.

So it turns out that where they betrayed their own, they supported those with whom they came out as the last and decisive...

Farewell match of Lev Yashin

It took place on May 27, 1971. Then, in Luzhniki, in the presence of 103,000 spectators, the world team and the team of Dynamo players from Moscow, Kyiv, Tbilisi and Minsk met. The level of the World Team was very high. Unfortunately, Pele could not come, but even without him there were enough stars.

It was a grandiose and very sad spectacle. An era was passing.

Yashin defended one half, and in the second, at the 52nd minute, he threw up his hands, waved to the spectators and players and went to the locker room.

After the match, when he walked up to the microphone, the GREAT Yashin said only two words

Thanks, people!

Friends, you can find out how the future life of the best goalkeeper in the world of the 20th century developed and what he had to go through by watching this film about Lev Ivanovich. It’s just that writing about this is very painful.

Briefly about interesting things

  • Great trick
    During training, Yashin performed an amazing trick. While jumping, he grabbed the ball tightly, immediately jumped up and threw it to another, thrown into the opposite corner. And, the most interesting thing, I almost always got it.
  • How Yashin passed the doping test
    After the last match of the USSR national team at the World Championships in England 1966, two players were selectively tested for doping. One of the two was Yashin. But they couldn’t take a sample from him. The point is that you had to urinate into the flask in the presence of the commission. And Yashin was shy. They did everything they could... they gave me beer, dry wine, and nothing else. In general, they released him in peace.
  • 208 of 813
    Out of 813 matches (including the farewell match), Yashin had 208 clean sheets.
  • “Everything is fine, only my legs are crooked”
    So one day, without thinking, my wife answered Lev Yashin’s question about how he looked in goal. And she shouldn’t have said that. 🙂 Literally during the next game, Valentina Timofeevna noticed that Lev didn’t just stand there for a second. He kept shifting from foot to foot... This is so that the curvature is not noticeable :)

That's it, I'll finish. But before I finish...

Lev Ivanovich Yashin was born on October 22, 1929, in the family of a Moscow worker. He worked as a mechanic and played on the Tushino plant team. After military service Yashin played for the Dynamo Moscow club youth team. He played for the national team until he was 38 years old. He played 78 matches and 14 consecutive seasons. Largest number meetings for Dynamo Moscow - 326. Lev Yashin was recognized as the best goalkeeper of the season three times: in 1960, 1963, 1966. In the lists of the thirty best football players in the country, he ranked first among goalkeepers from 1956... to 1968. Repeatedly included in the top ten best athletes of the USSR for the year. In 1963 he was awarded the Golden Ball prize as the best football player. His last farewell match, 813, took place on May 27, 1971. This year he passed the goalkeeper baton to Vladimir Pilguy. Died in 1990 at the age of 61.

Since childhood, Lev Yashin played football. First - in the yard team, then - at school, at the factory, until he got into the Dynamo team. When he was seven years old, the legendary film “Goalkeeper” based on the book by Lev Kassil appeared on the screens. The powerful figure of goalkeeper Anton Kandidov became a role model for many boys of that time, and Lev Yashin was no exception.

He lived with his parents and other relatives in a cramped apartment not far from the Krasny Bogatyr plant. Yashin's youth was difficult wartime. Together with his parents, he went to evacuation near Ulyanovsk. After finishing five classes, he went to a military factory as a mechanic's apprentice. In 1944, the Yashin family returned from evacuation to Moscow, where Lev Yashin continued to work at one of the Tushino factories. In his free time, he often played football in the factory team.

Yashin began playing in the Dynamo football club by luck. Thanks to the coach of the Dynamo club, Arkady Ivanovich Chernyshev, Lev ended up in the youth team of the Moscow Dynamo. Already in 1949, Yashin was the third goalkeeper of the main team, after Alexei Khomich and Walter Sanaya. One of his first matches was a game against the Stalingrad team "Traktor". In 1950, Yashin played for Dynamo against Spartak, replacing Khomich, who was injured. Sports career Yashin was not so simple, so after a series of failures in football, he played ice hockey for some time and even won the USSR Cup with Dynamo.

Since the 50s, Yashin has become the best goalkeeper of the USSR. He trained a lot, Khomich taught him. Thanks to the diligence of Yashin himself, the result was not long in coming. Victory at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956, winning the first ever European Cup in 1960. In 1966, Lev Yashin became a prize-winner at the English World Championship. Yashin was a goalkeeper until he was 41 years old.

Lev Yashin had excellent coordination of movements and lightning-fast reaction. He foresaw how the game would develop, and therefore repelled the attacks of his opponents without any problems. Lev Yashin, thanks to his chosen position in the goal, often easily took the seemingly “irresistible” ball. He often told field players where to run, who to pass to, or who to cover. He rationalized goalkeeper technique. Lev Yashin went far out of the gate (which was not inherent in the traditional technique of the 50s) and effectively thwarted enemy attacks. During training, Lev Yashin could catch a difficult ball and, instantly jumping to his feet, throw it at the second ball flying to another corner. He could perform this trick almost non-stop throughout the entire training session.


Yashin was very sensitive and sensitive to his mistakes. He said: “What kind of goalkeeper is this if he doesn’t torment himself for missing a goal! Obliged to torment. If you're calm, it's over. Whatever his past, he has no future.”

He was very upset about the failure of the USSR team at the World Championships in Chile, which took place in 1962. The USSR national team lost to the tournament hosts in the quarterfinals of the championship. Many blamed Yashin for this loss, although the foreign press assessed Yashin’s game completely differently. And despite the loss of the USSR national team in the world championship, a year later Lev Yashin was awarded the Golden Ball prize and invited to participate in a match dedicated to the centenary of English football.

In 1963, Yashin played for the world team against the England team. The game took place at London's Wembley Stadium. Lev Yashin defended the first half of the match. It was one of his best matches, he was able to hit the most hopeless goals without missing a single goal. He skillfully led the defense. In this game he showed himself as an organizer of attacks. He accurately threw the ball with his hand to his partners. In 1971, Yashin's farewell match took place. This match was played between a team of clubs from the All-Union Sports Society “Dynamo” and a team of world stars. This match brought together such football stars as Eusebio, Bobby Charlton and Gerdom Müller. Muller tried to score a goal against Yashin in this game, but was unable to do so. During the match, Yashin left the field. When leaving, he handed over his gloves to the young goalkeeper Vladimir Pilguy, as if appointing him as his successor. That match ended with a score of 2:2. Yashin left the sport not defeated, but a winner. He was appointed head of the Dynamo team. Later he moved to the Central Council of the Dynamo society and worked at the USSR Sports Committee. He was the coach of the second USSR national team, as well as children's football teams.

Throughout his entire sports career, Lev Yashin played for Dynamo Moscow and remained faithful to him until the end of his days.

Goalkeepers have a difficult fate. While the field players carry out previously planned combinations, delighting the spectators, they - the goal guards - do everything possible to ensure that fans of the combination game are as little as possible in the ecstasy of crossing the ball and the goal line.

Lev Ivanovich Yashin, like no one else, knew how to ruin the plans of attacking players of opposing teams, for which he was awarded, as the only one of many excellent goalkeepers, the most prestigious award - the Golden Ball for the best football player in Europe.

Yashin Lev Ivanovich

22.10.1929 – 20.03.1990

Career:

  • Dynamo Moscow (1949-1970; 326 matches).
  • USSR national team (1954-1967; 74 matches).

Team Achievements:

  • Olympic champion 1956.
  • European champion 1960.
  • Vice-champion of Europe in 1964.
  • Champion of the USSR 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1963.
  • Silver medalist of the USSR championships in 1956, 1958, 1962, 1967, 1970.
  • Bronze medalist at the 1960 USSR Championship.
  • Winner of the USSR Cup in 1953, 1967, 1970.

Personal achievements:

  • Winner of the Golden Ball for the best football player in Europe in 1963.
  • The best goalkeeper of the USSR 1960, 1963, 1966.

On the verge of despair

Lev was born into a working-class family in Moscow. It is symbolic that Yashin, the future Dynamo legend, spent his childhood years in a small apartment on Millionnaya Street, in Bogorodskoye - one of the most “Spartak” districts of the capital. Like most of his peers, little Leva learned football in the yard, being considered a scorer.

But the carefree time soon ended - after the fifth grade, Lev went to work at a factory as a mechanic's apprentice. And then I had to forget about football and the factory - the Great Patriotic War, and the Yashin family was evacuated near Ulyanovsk, from where they returned home in 1944.

1945 not only put an end to the most terrible war, but also revealed a legendary sporting event in the fall - the tour of Dynamo Moscow to the UK. It’s not hard to guess how powerful an impetus the development of youth football was given by Dynamo’s brilliant performance. It was then that Lev decided for himself that he intended to connect his life with football. But the teenager’s desire alone was not enough. Moreover, the gates of the blue and white were brilliantly defended at that time by the nickname “Tiger”.

But Yashin did not give up, playing in the evenings for the factory team. During the day he worked, minding his own business. As a result, monotonous and hard work brought the future goalkeeper to depression - Lev stopped going to the factory, left his home and moved to live with a friend. Hard times began for our hero, because at that time, for such a lifestyle one could lose his freedom, falling under a criminal article for parasitism. There was no choice left - it was necessary to join the army. It was there that for the first time in his life, luck smiled on Yashin. Arkady Ivanovich Chernyshev noticed him and invited him to the youth team of Dynamo Moscow.

A crumpled debut

The young man's dream has come true - until recently his life had an exclusively black hue, and now he is in the best team in the country, learning from the experience of his idol - Alexei Khomich. Yashin worked hard in training and soon got his chance. The young goalkeeper’s debut came in a friendly match in Gagra against Traktor Stalingrad. It was in the spring of 1949.

As often happens, the first pancake came out lumpy. Yashin missed the most curious goal - the opposing goalkeeper powerfully knocked the ball out, which flew into the Dynamo penalty area. The debutant was preparing to fix the leather projectile, but at the most inopportune moment he collided with his defender, and his colleague became the author of the goal.

The next appearance of Yashin in the “frame” is dated in the fall of 1950. Unlike the match in Gagra, this time the game was on a completely different level. Dynamo met with Spartak, Khomich took his place in goal as usual, but was injured in the game. The time had come for the backup, who again blundered by colliding with his player, as a result of which the red and whites reduced the match to a draw.

This mistake cost Yashin a lot - beating Spartak was a matter of honor for Dynamo. Lev spent the next two seasons firmly in the reserves, and when his third appearance in goal was not crowned with success, he went into hockey, simultaneously winning the USSR Cup with Dynamo.

The best goalkeeper of the USSR

Meanwhile, Alexey Khomich left Dynamo Moscow for Minsk to finish the game. Walter Sanaya, a long-time backup of the Tiger, also left the ranks of the Muscovites. A vacant position has become available. “Patience and work will grind everything down” - this is about Yashin. Couldn't for many years hard training goes in vain. The further career of the Dynamo player only went from strength to strength. Having settled in the gates of his native team, the doors of the USSR national team soon opened for Yashin.

The mid-50s - the heyday of Lev Ivanovich. From a timid and insecure young man, he turns into a thunderstorm for all forwards - a venerable goalkeeper. Yashin's style is unique: he allows himself to go far out of the gate, calculating his opponents' combinations in advance. The first of the goalkeepers of his time, the Dynamo player began attacks for his team, throwing the ball far with one hand.

Yashin's best years coincide with a similar period in the history of Dynamo Moscow. The fundamental principle of Dynamo - strength in movement - is successfully combined with an impenetrable defense, led by the brilliant Yashin, whose success deservedly comes in the international arena.


Lev Yashin - Dynamo goalkeeper

Without exception, all the successes of our team of those years are associated with the name of Lev Ivanovich: victory at the Olympics in Melbourne in 1956, winning the 1960 European Cup, silver at the 1964 European Championship, fourth place at the 1966 World Championship. But there were also the 1958 and 1962 World Championships.

The 1962 World Cup takes special place in the fate of Lev Ivanovich, despite the lack of titles upon graduation. By that time, Yashin's fame had reached unprecedented heights. Public recognition did not provide any room for error, and at the world forum in Chile Yashin did not help out. To tell the truth, that championship really didn’t work out in the best possible way for the famous goalkeeper.

Further - more. The journalistic fraternity decided to blame Lev Yashin, who was the target of mass persecution, for all the failures of the team. Evil tongues demanded the end of the career of a recent idol. Yashin could not withstand such harsh pressure and retired to the village, but returned some time later. And how he returned!

World fame

The year 1963 became, without exaggeration, a triumphant year in the already bright career of Lev Ivanovich. Yashin did not take offense at fate, but gritted his teeth and continued to work even harder. Together with his Dynamo, the stately goalkeeper became the champion of the USSR, and in the fall of that year the Dynamo player was invited to the world team to participate in the match dedicated to the centenary of English football.


This was a recognition - in those years, such matches were of the most serious nature. Without conceding a single goal during the allotted time, the USSR representative received a standing ovation from Wembley. The main award awaited Yashin ahead - Lev Ivanovich was awarded the title of the best football player in Europe in 1963, receiving the Golden Ball as confirmation.

Yashin proved that he has character, and without him, as we know, great success cannot be achieved in sports. In the future, Lev Ivanovich did not give skeptics any reason to doubt his greatness. Despite the fact that he no longer won the gold of the Union championships - in the late 60s, Dynamo lost their ground somewhat - Yashin is the undisputed number one both in the club and in the national team. Fate pays him for its whims. Yashin, at almost forty years old, is in perfect order, setting an example of true professionalism. Lev Yashin retires from big-time football at the age of 41.

Lev Ivanovich's farewell match gathers brightest stars world football of those years (only Yashin could not come to see off) and the crowded Luzhniki. No matter how hard the world stars tried to upset our goalkeeper, he again, as in 1963 at Wembley, left with his head held high, without conceding a single goal. I couldn't think of a better way to end my career.


Having left the green lawn, Yashin did not leave football, concentrating on administrative and coaching activities, occupying important posts both in his native Dynamo and in the USSR Football Federation. At the same time, Lev Ivanovich's health is deteriorating sharply. The last time Yashin appeared in public was to celebrate his sixtieth birthday. Soon Lev Ivanovich died.

Greatness

Yashin cannot be called the darling of fate. She often tripped him up, but he got up and moved on, step by step building his amazing football career. Neither the failed first matches for Dynamo nor the mass persecution after the 1962 World Cup broke him.

It is especially valuable that Yashin became famous not only in the USSR, but in all corners of the world where they heard about football. And most importantly: to this day Lev Ivanovich is the only goalkeeper to become the best football player in Europe.