Honoring a Football Legend: A New Name in Odessa
The Odessa City Council has decided to rename the Alexander Matrosov Lane in honor of the legendary football coach Valeriy Lobanovskyi. While his name is closely linked to Kyiv's «Dynamo», Lobanovskyi also made significant contributions to football in Odessa.
The Legendary Career and Its Echoes in Odessa
Valeriy Lobanovskyi played an important role in Odessa football. Between 1965 and 1966, he played for «Chornomorets», where he participated in 59 matches and scored 15 goals. He also earned his higher education in Odessa, graduating from the Polytechnic Institute.
His global recognition is confirmed by numerous awards. For example, in January, the GiveMeSport website included him in the list of the top 15 coaches in football history. His career included work with «Dynamo» (Kyiv), «Dnipro», and the national teams of the USSR, Ukraine, Kuwait, and the UAE.
Under his leadership, «Dynamo» won the USSR championship title eight times and the USSR Cup six times. On the international stage, the team won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice and secured the European Super Cup, defeating «Bayern Munich». After the collapse of the Soviet Union, «Dynamo» continued to dominate under Lobanovskyi, winning five consecutive championship titles and three Ukrainian Cups.
