At the age of 20, Yashin took up his position between the posts for Dinamo Moscow. He went on to dedicate his entire life to the club, playing 21 seasons. He won five USSR championships, was included in the list of the 33 best players on 13 occasions and was voted the Soviet Union's best goalkeeper three times.
In 1954, Yashin made his first appearance for the USSR and then spent 13 years as the nation's no.1. He was part of the 1956 Olympic and the 1960 European Championship winning sides. In 1966, Yashin was recognized as the best goalkeeper of the World Cup in the birthplace of football, England. Yashin was often invited to play in world elevens.
In 1963, France Football voted him the European player of the year and he was awarded a Golden Ball. He remains the only goalkeeper to have won this prize.
In 1971, 100,000 fans packed into Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium to watch Dinamo take on a world eleven. The 42-year-old Yashin played for both sides, swapping teams at half time. And, as always, he displayed the most amazing skills.
After retiring from professional sport, Yashin worked at Dinamo and often met young footballer. Tragically, illness caught short his life and he died aged just 60 on March 20, 1990.
However, Yashin remains the most popular of Soviet and Russian football player overseas.
