Football in Belarus
Encyclopedia
In Belarus
, a country that gained independence in 1991, football is the most popular sport, closely followed by ice hockey
. The national association takes part in all competitions organized by FIFA
and UEFA
at senior and youth level, as well as in women’s football. Dinamo Minsk were once one of the powerhouses in the top flight of Soviet Union
football, sometimes playing in European club competitions. A number of Belarusian players and coaches, such as Sergei Aleinikov, Andrei Zygmantovich (1986) and Eduard Malofeyev (1966 as player, 1984 as coach), represented the Soviet Union at FIFA World Cup
s and Olympic Football Tournaments. Today, the star of Belarusian football is Alexander Hleb, who currently plays for FC Barcelona
in the Spanish Primera.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, a country that gained independence in 1991, football is the most popular sport, closely followed by ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. The national association takes part in all competitions organized by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
at senior and youth level, as well as in women’s football. Dinamo Minsk were once one of the powerhouses in the top flight of Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
football, sometimes playing in European club competitions. A number of Belarusian players and coaches, such as Sergei Aleinikov, Andrei Zygmantovich (1986) and Eduard Malofeyev (1966 as player, 1984 as coach), represented the Soviet Union at FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s and Olympic Football Tournaments. Today, the star of Belarusian football is Alexander Hleb, who currently plays for FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
in the Spanish Primera.