- Lev Yashin, the only goalkeeper ever awarded the prize, is an icon of the Soviet Union, the empire that fell in 1991, a year after his death at the age of 60.
- Lev Yashin was recognized as the best football player in Europe, and was awarded with the "Golden Ball" from the French sports edition.
- The poem illustrates how, as well as being a genuinely great goalkeeper, Lev Yashin was practically enmeshed in the Russian national consciousness.
- ...Melbourne, they came into the tournament with a good reputation and featured several of the most revered players in Europe — particularly goalkeeper Lev Yashin.
- Football player Lev Yashin is a famous Soviet athlete, who was one of the few list of the best goalkeepers of the twentieth century.
- In 1954, Lev Yashin finally got in touch and was called up to the National Team, having played 78 matches for his country.
- Yashin with grief left to play ice hockey and even won the USSR Cup with Dinamo. And the loser is already in the mid-50's suddenly become the best goalkeeper...
- Yashin also played ice hockey (also as a goalie) and he won the Soviet Cup in March 1953. ... — Lev Yashin, upon receiving the award for best player in 1963.
- Since then, Lev Yashin played only for this club, until the end of his football career in 1971. At the beginning of his sports career, Yashin also played hockey...