Lev Yashin: the heroic gentleman in black
Lev Yashin: the heroic gentleman in black
02/06/2016
by Shahan Petrossian
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THERE HAVE BEEN many great goalkeepers in the history of the game. They range from the sober, colder types to the theatrical, colourful types and everything in between. But there is one man who is universally acclaimed through the decades to be the greatest of them all. In an age when
Di Stéfano, Pelé, Charlton and
Facchetti shone on the field, Soviet goalkeeper Lev Ivanovich Yashin stood out for his excellence between the sticks.
In the late 1950s and ’60s, one goalkeeper became the most accomplished and beloved of his era. At a time when the Soviet Union played with CCCP emblazoned across its uniform, he was the standout star in the net, wearing a trademark all-black uniform. This uniform would become legendary and, along with his impeccable skills, would earn him many nicknames: ‘Black Spider’, ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Black Octopus’ to name just a few.
While his talent on the field was clear for all to see, it was his demeanour off the field that also enhanced his legend. He was a friendly, open, jovial character, and all around gentleman, who was at ease in the company of journalists and fans alike.
His story begins at a time of turmoil for his country, bookended between two World Wars and a revolution. Lev Yashin was born on October 22, 1929, in
Moscow and was only 12 when the Soviets entered the war. While men were sent off fighting, boys as young as him were forced to help with the war effort. He trained as an electrical mechanic and worked in a factory at Tushino, just north of Moscow.
It was at this factory that he made his early forays into athletics. He was talented even as a youngster and excelled in many sports, including basketball, ice hockey and, of course, football.
Following the end of the war, Yashin he began his compulsory military service; it was during his period that he was spotted as a potential talent by Dynamo Moscow youth coach Arkady Chernyshov, and subsequently joined their ranks in 1949. However, his path to the first team was arduous. The starting goalkeeper was another star in his own right, Alexei ‘Tiger’ Khomich, who had
dazzled the West when Dynamo Moscow had toured Britain just after the war.
Such was Khomich’s excellence that Yashin actually contemplated giving up football and turning to ice hockey. Yashin was such a gifted athlete that he had already excelled in that sport for Dynamo.
Yashin stuck it out, however, and finally got his chance in 1953 after an injury to Khomich. The youngster’s performances didn’t go unnoticed and within a year he had his chance to play for the national team, one that had just re-entered the international arena.
In his international debut on 8 September 1954 the Soviet Union defeated Sweden 7-0. The global football audience first got a glimpse of him when he helped the USSR triumph in the 1956 Olympics in
Melbourne. But it was during the 1958 World Cup that he became a phenomenon in his position.
It was there that everyone was able to witness the attributes that were to become the hallmark of Yashin. His long arms were one of his greatest assets as he could reach even the most brilliantly placed shots – it was indeed this gift that earned him the nickname of Black Spider. Despite his tall frame, he was surprisingly very coordinated and agile. Observers noticed his commanding presence in his box, whereby he would shout instructions to his defenders with regards to their positioning. Another advantage that journalists at the time noticed was his ability to read the game so well that he could anticipate the opposition forward’s movement, position and shot direction.
He was also astute when it came to crosses, and his first-time releases for quick counter-attacks were revolutionary at the time. He was an innovator in the position of ‘keeper-sweeper, was not glued to his line and was often out of his goal area and participating in build-ups.
Despite being all business on the field, he was jolly and friendly with fans off it. He would not shy away from the journalists and lived the model pro’s life.
Even though the Soviets were eliminated in the quarter-finals by their Swedish hosts, Yashin was selected as the best goalkeeper of the tournament. He would even be more impressive two years later when helping the Soviets to win their first trophy, the fledgeling European Nations’ Cup. In the final versus rivals Yugoslavia he was constantly tested by his opponents, but kept them at bay and led his nation to glory.
However, the following year the Soviet authorities were starting to have doubts over his ability. He was dropped for three matches in June and July of ’61 and was replaced by Lokomotiv Moscow’s Vladimir Maslachenko. By August, Yashin had regained his spot.
Despite regaining his place, by the time of the 1962 World Cup in Chile, he was 32-years-old and there were still some misgivings about him due to his age. During the finals, his confidence was severely shaken after committing two serious errors against Colombia – including being beaten directly from a corner – that led to a 4-4 tie.
This poor form carried over into the quarter-finals against host nation Chile.
La Roja scored twice and Yashin seemed far from his confident self. It was later revealed that he had suffered a concussion in a collision with a Chilean player. This would go some way to explain his uncharacteristically poor display, but to the minds of many – the press, the Soviet FA and even the public – he was seen as past his best and made a scapegoat for their perceived failures.
