LEV YASHIN

Lev Yashin (born 22 October 1929) was a Soviet-Russian football goalkeeper, who earned iconic status for revolutionising the goalkeeping position and spent his entire professional football career with Dynamo Moscow, from 1950 to 1970, winning the USSR football championship five times and the USSR Cup three times. He famously dressed head to toe in black, thus earning his nickname the 'Black Spider', which enhanced his popularity.

Yashin kept over 270 clean sheets in his career and reportedly saved over 150 penalty kicks in professional football – more than any other goalkeeper. He played a key role in winning the USSR a gold medal at the 1956 Olympic football tournament, and more impressively the inaugural 1960 European Championships. He also appeared in four World Cups from 1958 to 1970. In 1994, he was chosen for the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team, in 1998 was chosen as a member of the World Team of the 20th Century and in 2002 was chosen on the FIFA Dream Team of the history of World Cups.

Yashin remains the only goalkeeper to have won the Ballon d'Or Award, which he received in 1963. For his outstanding service to the people and to his country, Yashin was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1967, the highest award of the USSR. He was voted the best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS.