The first European triumph

It’s hard to talk about Russian football without mentioning Lev Yashin, the best goalkeeper of the 20th century, according to FIFA. We wouldn’t be able to fit the highlights of his extraordinary career into one article, so let’s focus on one event that was significant not only for Yashin individually, but for Soviet football as a whole.

We’re talking about the 1960 European Cup final, when the USSR beat Yugoslavia 2–1 in Paris during extra time. Throughout the tournament, Yashin played a crucial role in the team’s game. The title earned by him and his teammates remains one the most significant achievements in the history of Soviet and Russian football.

Zenit and the rise of Arshavin

As a St. Petersburg-based university, we here at ITMO can’t leave out the beloved local  club Zenit and its star Andrey Arshavin. For him, one of the breakthrough moments was the 2008 UEFA Cup final.

Zenit faced the Scottish club Rangers and won 2–0, with Arshavin named the best player of the game. The victory gave Zenit its first major European trophy, and also put Arshavin on the international football map. Just months later, he joined Arsenal in England's Premier League.

Hosting the 2018 World Cup

In 2018, Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Matches were played across the country, including St. Petersburg arena.The tournament is still remembered for its friendly, international atmosphere, but it also brought a triumph for the Russian national team.

Russia faced Spain for a place in the quarter-finals. After 120 minutes, the score was still 1–1, sending the match to penalties, which the hosts won 4–3. The victory sent Russia to its first World Cup quarter-final and became one of the defining sporting moments of the country's modern football history.

At ITMO, you can play or watch football as part of the KronBars sports club. And even if you don’t consider yourself a sports person yet, there’s always a way to get moving, meet new people, and find an activity you actually enjoy across the opportunities the university offers.