Lev Yashin

Lev Ivanovich Yashin (; 22 October 1929 – 20 March 1990) was a Soviet professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and the best goalkeeper in the history of the sport, he is the only player in his position to win the Ballon d'Or. He was known for his athleticism, positioning, imposing presence in goal, and acrobatic reflex saves. His performances made an indelible impression on a global audience at the 1958 World Cup, the first to be broadcast internationally. He dressed head to toe in apparent black (in truth very dark blue), which enhanced his popularity. and the 1960 European Championships.

In 1963, Yashin received the Ballon d'Or, awarded to the European player of the year, the only goalkeeper ever to receive the award. He was also named to the IFFHS All-time Men's Dream Team in 2021. He was named by France Football as the greatest goalkeeper of all time in 2020. In 2025, IFFHS crowned him as the greatest goalkeeper in football history. In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Russia by the Russian Football Union as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. In 2019, France Football established the Yashin Trophy for the best performing goalkeeper, and is awarded alongside the Ballon D'Or.

Early life Yashin was born in Moscow, to a Russian family of industrial workers. When he was 12, World War II forced him to work in a factory to support the Soviet war effort. However his health at the age of 18 (after he suffered a nervous breakdown) meant he was unable to work. Thus, he was sent to work in a military factory in Moscow. After being spotted playing for the factory team he was invited to join the Dynamo Moscow youth team.

Club career

Yashin’s debut for Dynamo Moscow came in 1950 in a friendly match. It was not the debut he would have hoped for, as he conceded a soft goal scored straight from a clearance by the opposing keeper. That year he played in only two league games, and did not appear in a senior match again until 1953. But he remained determined, and stayed at Dynamo in the reserves waiting for another opportunity. Yashin also played goalie for the Dynamo ice hockey team during those early years of trying to break into the senior squad. He managed to win a USSR ice hockey cup in 1953 and was third in the USSR ice hockey championship as goalkeeper.

He spent his entire professional football career with Dynamo Moscow, from 1950 to 1970, winning the USSR football championship five times and the Soviet Cup three times. Yashin's club teammate, rival and mentor was Alexei "Tiger" Khomich, the keeper of the Soviet national team, who had become famous for his role in Dynamo Moscow’s British tour. He also internally rivalled goalkeeper Valter Sanaya, who left the club in 1953.

International career

In 1954, Yashin was called up to the Soviet national team, and would go on to gather 74 caps. With the national team he won the 1956 Summer Olympics as well as the first European championship, the 1960 European Nations' Cup. Yashin is credited with four clean sheets out of the 12 games he played in the World Cup finals.

Yashin was nominated for Ballon d'Or in 1960 and 1961 and placed fifth and fourth, respectively. In 1962, despite suffering two concussions during the tournament, he once again led the team to a quarter-final finish, before losing to host country Chile. The tournament showed that Yashin was all too human, having made several uncharacteristic mistakes. In the game against Colombia, which the Soviet Union was leading 4–1, Yashin let in a few soft goals, including a goal scored by Marcos Coll directly from a corner kick. It was the first and the only goal scored directly from a corner in FIFA World Cup history. The Soviet Union's game against Colombia finished in a 4–4 draw, and French newspaper L'Équipe predict the end of Yashin's career. He made an outstanding save against Chile in the quarter-final. Despite this, the Soviet Union suffered a 2–1 defeat and were eliminated from the World Cup. Yashin has a granddaughter and one surviving grandson; another grandson died in 2002 at age 14 from injuries suffered in a bicycle accident. but never played a game with the senior side, retiring from play at age 23. He now runs a goalkeeper training school in Moscow near Spartak Moscow's current stadium.

Career statistics Club

International

Other statistics 812 career games played estimated to have made over 150 penalty saves during his career 74 caps for the USSR national team (70 goals conceded) 1964 USSR Goalkeeper of the year: 1960, 1963, 1966 Ballon d'Or Winner: 1963, World Soccer World XI: 1963, 1964, 1968 Europe XI: 1964, 1964, 1965 European football Oscars: 1963-64 World XI selected by Italian press. 1960, 1961 FUWO European Team of the Year: 1965, 1966 Order of Lenin Silver Olympic Order Placar'''s 100 Stars of the Century: #11 FIFA World Cup All-Time TeamPlanète Foots All-Time Team World Soccer's 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time: #11 O Estado de São Paulo All-Time Team France Football Greatest Goalkeeper of All Time World Sports dream team of the past 20 years: 1970 IFFHS Legends IFFHS World Goalkeeper of the Century IFFHS European Goalkeeper of the Century IFFHS All-time Men's Dream Team IFFHS All-time Europe Men's Dream Team IFFHS Men Team of the Century (1901–2000) Soccer Hall of Fame: 2011 Class International Football Hall of Fame: 22nd place (1997)

Ice hockeyDynamo Moscow''' Soviet Cup: 1953