Black Spider in the First European Nations’ Cup, 1960

As the new European Cup kick started in France this year I checked when it was first established but during that research I come across a very important goalkeeper that had revolutionized goal keeping.

First time ever European Football Championship took place in 1960, with notable absentees. It was a knockout tournament where teams would play in a home-and-away basis until there were four teams left. When the tournament reached the quarter finals Spain refused to play on Soviet soil. At that time Spain was ruled by General Franco who had to fight his way from Morocco to Barcelona to establish his dictatorship in Spain. His enemies the Republicans were supported extensively by the Soviet regime in the civil war that took place from 1936 to1939. 20 years might have been a short time during the Cold War to forget the atrocities.

Anyway, the final four were shaped after the knock outs as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, USSR and France, which three of its members were part of the communist block and they disintegrated nearing the end of the 20^th century.

The final was played between Yugoslavia and USSR that had been a close call. Though the Yugoslavs were the sides with more flair and technical intelligence USSR goalkeeper Lev Yashin denied them the cup.

Lev Yashin punching a high ball, acting early to cut the attack short, Yugoslavia-USSR 1960 Source: BBC

Yashin was discovered when he played for the factory he worked for. Also it is interesting to note that he also played as the goalie for the Dynamo ice hockey team. That sort of career changes are not possible in today’s football, I believe. He was known for revolutionizing the way the goal keepers had played for decades. Until then the goal keepers stayed on the line as an isolated member called to action from time to time but Yashin was engaging the defenders, shouting them orders, directing the game, engaging the attackers he ran out to meet onrushing attackers and came off line to intercept crosses.

Two years before in the World Cup of 1958 he made an incredible impression, the one first broadcasted internationally. He played in blacks head-to-toe and that earned him the nick name “Black Spider”.

“He was the model for goal keeping for the next 10 to 15 years, without a doubt” said Gordon Banks, his peer , England international and named only second to Lev Yashin in the history of football by the IFFHS.