Lev Yashin

Lev Ivanovich Yashin was born 22 October 1929 in the Soviet Union and turned professional as a footballer at a time when goalkeepers stood and reacted. His performances at the 1958 World Cup - the first broadcast globally - announced a new prototype: vocal, aggressive, athletic, rushing off his line to intercept crosses and meet onrushing forwards. Dressed head to toe in dark blue that looked black on television, he became "the Black Spider" and "the Black Panther". In 1963 he won the Ballon d'Or, the only goalkeeper ever to do so. He appeared in three World Cups from 1958 to 1966, won gold at the 1956 Olympics and the 1960 European Championships, and recorded over 270 clean sheets across his career. He died 20 March 1990, and in 2019 France Football named its annual goalkeeper award the Yashin Trophy.