Fyodor Cherenkov

Fyodor Fyodorovich Cherenkov (; 25 July 1959 – 4 October 2014) was a Soviet and Russian football midfielder who played for Spartak Moscow (1977–90 and 1991–94) and Red Star Football Club (1990–91).

Playing career Cherenkov played for Spartak Moscow for almost his entire professional club career (1977–1994; he also played for the youth team between 1971–1977), aside from a brief spell with Red Star Saint-Ouen from 1990–91. For the time spent in Spartak he received the Club Loyalty Award in 1989. He was awarded "The Attack Organizer" award in 1988 and 1989, as the most useful attack player.

At international level, Cherenkov made 34 appearances for the Soviet Union national team, scoring 12 goals. He won a bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Although widely regarded by Spartak's fans as the team's best player ever, he was always dropped by the national team on the eve of several major tournaments, including two World Cups and a European Championship.

Style of play Cherenkov was an excellent passer and was also a good striker of the ball who scored many goals throughout his career. Cherenkov was considered to be the best Soviet footballer of the 1980s.

Coaching career Cherenkov worked as a coach of Spartak's reserve team after retiring.

Personal life and personality A 2021 profile on BBC Sport relates that Cherenkov was a kind and approachable "regular guy" who could not understand his own fame. He suffered several attacks of an unknown mental illness during his playing career, and missed important games because of it, but was "widely seen as the best Soviet footballer of the decade". His daughter Anastasia was born in 1980. He died in 2014, at age 55, after collapsing outside his home. An autopsy at a Moscow hospital found a brain tumour. The profile described him as a "football genius".

Honours Club Spartak Moscow Soviet Top League: 1979, 1987, 1989 Russian Premier League: 1993 Russian Cup: 1994

International Soviet Union Olympics bronze medal: 1980

Individual The best 33 football players of the Soviet Union (9): No. 1 (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989); No. 2 (1980, 1982, 1988); No. 3 (1981, 1984) Soviet Footballer of the Year: 1983, 1989 Club Loyalty Award: 1989