Lev Yashin

If you say the number one, there is only one person you can think of. Of course, the mighty one is Lev Yashin. Lev Yashin, also known as the “The Black Spider” or “The Black Panther” was a Russian football player who made history. Lev Yashin was born on October 22, 1929 in Russia. Lev Yashin was born to Anna Yashina and Ivan Yashin. Anna and Ivan were industrial workers, so they didn’t have any exposure to soccer. They earned very little money to raise Yashin. They never knew that their son was going to make history.

As a child, Yashin loved to play football with his friends in the streets of Moscow. He ran and ran with the soccer ball all day, which developed his coordination with the football. The position which Lev enjoyed the most in football was the goalkeeper. Lev Yashin enjoyed his life to the most until the Nazi invaded Moscow in 1941 when he was 11 years old.

The war was tough on Yashin, because he had to evacuate to Ulyanovsk. When he did, his parents struggled to earn money, so Lev had no choice but to help them earn. He was forced to work at a factory as a mechanic. He was very unhappy doing so, because his heart was fixed to football, but understood that he needed to help his parents. Luckily, the war ended in 1945, so he and his family were able to return to their home in Moscow.

Lev was dedicated to his practice, and worked so hard every day. Soon, he played in a small team called the “Red October”. He was determined to reach heights and to achieve more as a goalkeeper. His hard work soon began to pay off, as he improved his game. The coaches began to observe his game and recognise his talent.

In 1950, Lev Yashin joined a big football team called the “ Dynamo Moscow”. Yashin performed most of his professional football career in that team. Lev won many awards for the team, and was one of the star players for the Dynamo Moscow. By this time, he was a star! Nobody had ever expected that from a young man who had once worked in a factory as a mechanic!

The journey of Lev Yashin is very inspirational to all. From working in a factory to becoming a soccer player, Lev Yashin was a hardworking person who showed everyone on the football field what he was capable of doing. His childhood experience was incredible, and teaches us all an important lesson: That we are capable of doing anything, if we set our heart to it.