Lev Yashin Biography

Lev Ivanovich Yashin was a Russian football player often considered to be the greatest goalkeeper in the history of football. Over the course of his illustrious career, he had appeared in four World Cups. Yashin was very well known for his positioning, stature, and acrobatic reflex saves. He was born in Moscow, Russia. At the age of 18, he began working in a military factory and also played for the factory football team. A very good player, he was spotted while playing for the factory team and was invited to join the Dynamo Moscow team. During his career with the team, he led them to win the USSR football championship five times and the USSR cup three times. He also played for the Russian national team, helping them win the Summer Olympics in 1956 and the European Championship in 1960. Later, he served as the Deputy Chairman of the Football Federation of the Soviet Union. In recognition of his contribution to football, he was presented with several awards and honors, such as the Order of Lenin (1967), FIFA Order of Merit (1988) and FIFA goalkeeper of the century (2000).