| RUSSIA | |
| 1949-1971 | |
| Dynamo Moscow | |
He spent his entire career behind the Iron Curtain, but anyone who knew anything about football knew about Lev Yashin. Nicknamed “The Black Spider” because of his intimidating all-black kit and because he, seemingly, had eight arms due to all the breathtaking saves he made on a routine basis, Yashin was universally regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world by his peers. Yashin led the Soviet Union to three straight World Cups, carrying his team to the Quarterfinals in 1958 and 1962. He also led the Soviet Union to the Olympic gold medal in 1956 and the European Championship in 1960. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1963, becoming the only goalkeeper ever to win that prestigious honor. His dominance was such that he finished first or second in almost every single meaningful poll to determine the greatest goalkeeper of all time.
He was respected for his leadership abilities on the pitch and often acted as a de facto skipper, even though he never actually donned the armband. Yashin also changed the way goalkeepers played the game. Until Yashin, it was unheard of for a keeper to punch the ball away instead of try to catch it. Yashin was also one of the first to utilize the quick throw in order to ignite counterattacks, and frequently ventured out of the penalty area. We may take these things for granted nowadays, but these tactics were novel concepts when Yashin brought them to the game.
He was one of the greatest shot stoppers of all time, reputedly stopping over 150 penalty shots. His training regimen was unique, as well. He admitted to smoking before a match as a way of calming his nerves, and then drinking to loosen up his muscles. Clearly, a number of athletes from all sports can give him credit for that innovation.
