The story of how the Soviet football team managed to reach the semifinals of the 1966 world Cup.
The USSR national team in football, Moscow, 1966 (left to right): Victor Getmanov, Vasily Danilov, Vladimir Ponomarev, Eduard Malofeev, Oleg Kopaev, Josef Szabo, Galimzyan Khusainov, Anatoly banishevski, Slava Metreveli, Igor chislenko, Viktor Serebrennikov, Yuri Zolotov, Valery Voronin, Georgiy Sichinava, Anzor, Kavazashvili, Alexey Korneev, Victor ponedelnik, Lev Yashin, albert Shesternev, Viktor Bannikov, Valentin Afonin, Mikhail Meskhi and coach Nikolai Morozov.
Photo: ITAR-TASS
In 1966, the USSR national team reached the semi-finals of the English championship, where they lost to Portugal, led by striker Eusebio, who scored the first goal of his team with a penalty kick against the best goalkeeper of the twentieth century Lev Yashin. And although the Soviet players took the fourth place, the organizers still awarded the best in the football history of the team bronze medals.
By the way, if our team reached the final, in any case, would become “gold”: from 1966 to 1994 the winner of the world championship received gold medal, finalist — small gold (or gold — plated). Silver and bronze medals (11 medals per team) were given to teams participating in the match for 3rd place.
According to the decision of the leadership of the Soviet team, and her coach Nikolai Morozov won bronze medals: Yashin, Ponomarev, Shesternev, Khurtsilava, Danilov, Voronin, clogs, chislenko, Malofeev, banishevski, Khusainov.
It is worth noting that the “bronze” performance of the national team of the USSR, which was considered in
while one of the strongest teams not only in Europe (in 1960 our team
won gold of the European championship, and in 1964, the silver — Approx. ed.),
but throughout the football world, it was considered… good, but nothing more.
On how the team, which then the few who believed, were able to achieve this higher, almost unattainable result, sports commentator George Cherdantseva especially for his football encyclopedia “the History of world Championships” (publishing house AST) said the bronze medalist of the world championship in 1966 Vladimir Alekseevich Ponomarev.
In the final
“We went to England without any pumping, there was not even any conversation before you leave, — says Vladimir Ponomarev, — no one in the USSR and did not believe. No one in the airport is not accompanied, came suddenly only Leonid Utyosov (Soviet actor — approx.ed.). One… We were confident. We have gone through South America (a tour where the USSR team played matches with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, etc.) and no one was afraid.
Photo: courtesy of AST
When arrived there, the first game is in fact played against Brazil, led by Pele. Flew in late November, in Moscow, minus 30, arrived in Brazil, there are plus 30. And two days later the game is on “Marakan” — sold out. The excitement was incredible.
Were going to the game, the impression was that the whole of Rio was heading there too. We cleared the road eight police motorcycles, and we looked out the Windows, mouths Agape. Lived right on the beach of Copacabana. All was well, only Alex Shesternev almost drowned. There’s also an undercurrent. We went the first day to swim, and no one warned us. I went into the water. Alex is a meter away from me and suddenly: Ah! Well, from the tower, the lifeguard saw and pulled him out. So nearly had the captain not lost!
In the locker room of the particular nervous trembling was not out of the game. Hard, of course — the heat, stuffiness, burning 0:2. But in the second half, the game managed to equalize, and played 2:2. After this result, we no one was terrible, so then, in England, in a second round match with Italy came out confident and won, and now, the quarterfinals!
“Cerpa Panther” from Mozaika Eusebio scores the first goal from a penalty in the match for 3rd place:
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