All Time World Cup!
The USSR are another ‘country’ who, like Spain, often dazzled in the early stages of tournaments, only to suddenly fall apart in the knock-out stages. Like Spain, most Soviet citizens’ first loyalty was to their local nation rather than the overall federation. Coach Lobanovsky had a vast population to choose from, and felt able to leave out several of his old Kyiv protégés, such as Serhii Baltacha and Alexei Mikhailichenko. The squad did still have a strong Dinamo Kyiv spine though.
The goalkeeping contingent was as strong as for any squad in the tournament, and they were all Russian, including the greatest ever keeper, Lev Yashin. In the end the only player to break the Russian-Ukrainian duopoly was Georgian defender Aleksandr Chivadze, although Belarus’ Sergei Aleinikov and Azerbaijan’s Anatoliy Banishevskiy came close. The Soviets had technique, pace, fitness, organisation and a legendary coach. Could they finally live up to their promise?
| Number | Position | Player | Era |
| 1 | GK | Yachin(R) | 1950's-60's |
| 2 | RB | Bessonov(U) | 1980's |
| 3 | LB | Demianenko(U) | 1980's |
| 4 | CB | Chivadze(G) | 1980's |
| 5 | CB/SW | Schesternev(R) | 1960's |
| 6 | CB | Kuznetsov(U) | 1980's-90's |
| 7 | L/CM | Neto(R) | 1950's-60's |
| 8 | RW/AM | Chislenko(R) | 1960's |
| 9 | AM/CF | Belanov(U) | 1930's |
| 10 | CF | Streltsov(R) | 1970's-80's |
| 11 | LW/CF | Blokhin(U) | 1950's |
| 12 | CF | Bobrov(R) | 1940's |
| 13 | GK | Dasseyev(R) | 1980's |
| 14 | CB/DM | Onopko(R) | 1990's |
| 15 | DM | V.Voronin(R) | 1960's |
| 16 | DM/LM | Rats(U) | 1980's |
| 17 | CB/SW | Khidiatulin(R) | 1980's |
| 18 | AM/FW | V.Ivanov(R) | 1950's-60's |
| 19 | CF | Shevchenko(U) | 1990's-00's |
| 20 | AM | Zavarov(U) | 1980's |
| 21 | CF | Protasov(U) | 1980's-90's |
| 22 | GK | Khomich(R) | 1940's |
| Coach | Lobanoski(U) |
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