Lev Ivanovich Yashin was a Soviet Union goalkeeper legendary for his athleticism, positioning, imposing presence, and acrobatic reflex saves.
He was the first to impose his authority on the defense, going out to cut crosses, intercept passes, and engaging in 1v1 against attackers. These actions revolutionized the goalkeeper position, which until then was the most passive of the 11 players, waiting for the ball to come to them.
Yashin played his entire life for the Dynamo Moscow, and participated with the USSR team in 4 World Cups: Sweden 1958 (quarterfinals), Chile 1962 (quarterfinals), England 1966 (semifinals), and Mexico 1970 (quarterfinals). With the national team, he won the 1956 Summer Olympics and the first European championship in 1960.
In 1963, he received the Ballon d'Or, a trophy awarded to the best footballer in the world. At the time, only Europeans who played for teams from that continent could win it. He is the only goalkeeper in history to have won the award.