Vasyl Rats

Vasyl Karlovych Rats (; ) (born 25 March 1961) is a Ukrainian former football midfielder. He participated in two World Cups and one European Championship with the Soviet Union national football team.

Club career After the seventh grade (around age 14), Rats enrolled into a sports vocational school (boarding school) and later a sports university (both in Lviv).

The most notable was the 1986 season when Dynamo Kyiv managed to out-play Dynamo Moscow which then was coached by Eduard Malofeyev. The goal of Rats in Moscow in last 15 minutes of play tied the game and at home the Kyiv team beat Muscovites 2-1.

Before moving to Ferencvaros in 1991, Rats had a medical emergency when his whole left side of body became incapacitated. He eventually spoke about his condition to the Hungarian club administration, and they helped out with medical treatment and Rats was ready for the season. He played in two World Cups, in 1986 and 1990. In the 1986 World Cup he scored a goal with a 27-meter shot against France in a 1–1 draw in the first round: a headed clearance by France was picked up by Ihor Belanov and laid off to Rats, who on the first touch, struck the ball powerfully from several yards outside the area past French goalkeeper Joël Bats and into the top right corner of the net. During Euro 1988 his goal secured USSR a 1–0 victory in the group stage over eventual champions The Netherlands. USSR reached the final, but were unable to repeat their achievement in the group stage and lost 2–0.

Honours Soviet Top League Winner (4): 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990 Runner-up (2): 1982, 1988 Soviet Cup (4): 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990 Soviet Super Cup (2): 1986, 1987 Nemzeti Bajnokság I Winner (1): 1991–92 Magyar Kupa (2): 1990–91, 1992–93 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1986 UEFA Euro 1988 Runner-up: 1988

Personal life Vasyl Rats grew up as a Hungarian-speaking person in the Soviet Union and experienced some difficulties integrating into the Russian culture which dominated in the Ukrainian SSR. In interview with Dmytro Gordon Vasyl Rats said that Andriy Bal who was a native of Lviv region helped him with integration into FC Dynamo Kyiv.

Vasyl Rats was married to a daughter of Ishtvan Sekech.

Andriy Bal gave Rats the nickname "Klyushka" (bandy). Rats was a fan of French footballer Michel Platini.