The image of Lev Yashin can be seen everywhere: in graffiti, in the posters, in the underground. Not mentioning legendary scorers, talented midfielders or firm defenders, Russian fans believe him to be the hero of the passed century: a goalkeeper, but not a usual one. For many people he was the best in history.

Yashin was born in 1929 in a hard-working family in Moscow. At the age of twelve he was compelled to move with his parents and brothers to the South of the country, because in 1941 the Nazi army advanced to Moscow. The Yashin settled in Ulyanovsk, a region situated just a few kilometres away from Samara, the city that is hosting the World Cup these days. Despite the war, Yashin didn’t bury his hunger for the sport. He combined the position of a goalkeeper in football and hockey at the military factory, where he worked during his youth. Eventually, green pitch captivated him.

The symbol of the USSR

“The goalkeepers are born, not made”, the author of book “Yashin. The life of the goalkeeper”, Italian writer Mario Alessandro Curletto said. Some people reproached Yashin’s proximity to the soviet regime: “He was a hard-working person and the symbol of the Soviet Union abroad. In fact, during the soviet era he was accused of being a communist party member”. The goalkeeper from Moscow was nicknamed the "Black Spider", because he always wore dark gear in order not to draw attention of the opponents and to appear in the most appropriate moment and save shots.

There was little in common in the football that the USSR played with Europe, in which Yashin found his niche. Football lives in statistics and so here Yashin can boast. Some of the best goalkeepers in history would like to have such statistics. He played in 326 matches as the professional, in 270 of which he managed clean sheets. Besides, his impressive statistics of achievements includes the Soviet team’s gold medal at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne and beating Yugoslavia in EURO’1960 final. At that tournament the Soviet goalkeeper was named goalkeeper of the tournament. The reputation of Moscow goalkeeper spread the rumour that anyone, who scored against him, could not help apologising.

He was destined to be the best goalkeeper of the 20th century, FIFA award winner, he played in Dynamo Moscow during all his career in a club founded by the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. Yashin’s prestige didn’t have limits. When the legendary goalkeeper hung his gloves in 1971, there was organized a farewell match between the soviet team and the team formed of such figures with the World Cup experience as Pele, Beckenbauer, Eusebio. What is more, the award for the best World Cup goalkeepers from 1994 to 2010 was named “Lev Yashin Award” in honour of the legendary Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper that these day is still remembered. 

Source: ABC