Igor Belanov
Encyclopedia
Ihor Ivanovych Belanov is a retired Ukrainian
footballer who played as a striker.
He made a name for himself at Dynamo Kyiv
, winning five major titles and being named European Footballer of the Year
in 1986. He then spent six years in Germany
with two teams, with little success.
Belanov represented the Soviet Union at one
World Cup
and one European Championship
.
, Ukraine
, Soviet Union
. He started playing professionally in his hometown, with SKA Odessa
and FC Chornomorets Odessa
, joining country giants FC Dynamo Kyiv
in 1985, and scoring ten goals in his first season
, which ended with league
and cup
conquest.
Alongside with teammates Oleg Blokhin
and Oleksandr Zavarov, Belanov led the scoring charts at the 1985–86 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
(five apiece) as Dynamo won the competition for the second time. He played the full 90 minutes in the final against Atlético Madrid (3–0).
an side, making a move to Germany
to join Borussia Mönchengladbach
. His debut in the Bundesliga
came on 4 November 1989 in a 0–4 away defeat against VfB Stuttgart
, but he failed to impress overall, netting only four times in his one 1/2-season stint.
Belanov moved to second level
's Eintracht Braunschweig
in January 1991, after his wife had been involved in a shoplifting affair. He made his debut for his new club on 23 February, and went on to score only 13 goals in the competition in three seasons combined, also suffering relegation in 1992–93 without making a single appearance.
in Mexico
, where he netted four goals and assisted
for six others as the team (which comprised 13 Dynamo Kyiv players) reached the round of 16
; he scored a hat-trick
in the game against Belgium, in a losing extra time
effort (3–4).
This performance at the World Cup
, along with Dynamo’s Cup Winners' Cup success, helped Belanov win the European Footballer of the Year
award. He was also part of the squad that reached the final of UEFA Euro 1988, where the national side faced Holland
. With the score at 0–2, USSR were awarded a penalty
. Belanov took it, but saw goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen stop the shot, as the score remained unaltered.
’s FC Wil
, in August 2003. His predecessor, banker Andreas Hafen, had been given a five-years imprisonment sentence after embezzling 51 million Swiss franc
s ($40 million) from the UBS Bank.
Belanov’s first move at Wil was replacing first-team manager Martin Andermatt
with his former Dynamo Kyiv teammate Zavarov, not taking note of the fact that he lacked the necessary UEFA
licence to manage a European top-division outfit. That circumstance forced Belanov to sign former FC Karl-Marx-Stadt
manager Joachim Müller. Due to the appointment of Müller, Zavarov’s job was officially described as director of football
; Müller did not last long as coach however, as Belanov sacked him just after three months, replacing him with Tomas Matejcek.
Matejcek’s strict training regiment caused a quick revolt amongst Wil players. This forced Belanov to make amend for his decisions and to re-appoint Müller as manager, and hand the assistant-manager role to former Swiss international
goalkeeper Stephan Lehmann
. Those turned out to be Belanov’s last series of actions as Wil’s major shareholder as, in a quick sequence, he pulled out of his chairman and shareholder role of the club.
Additionally, Belanov also owned a football school in Odessa, which carried his name.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
footballer who played as a striker.
He made a name for himself at Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
, winning five major titles and being named European Footballer of the Year
European Footballer of the Year
The "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
in 1986. He then spent six years in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with two teams, with little success.
Belanov represented the Soviet Union at one
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
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...
and one European Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
.
Beginnings / Dynamo Kyiv
Belanov was born in OdessaOdessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, 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....
. He started playing professionally in his hometown, with SKA Odessa
SK Odessa
SK Odesa is a former Ukrainian football team. The team was located in Odessa, Ukraine.- Brief history :The club was founded as a sport society of various disciplines in 1944. It began its legacy in the Soviet sport competitions under the name of ODO , which meant Regional Officers' Club in Russian...
and FC Chornomorets Odessa
FC Chornomorets Odessa
FC Chornomorets Odesa is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Odessa. The club's home ground is the 34,164 Chornomorets Stadium opened in 1935 and rebuilt in 2011. During the reconstruction , the team played in the 4,610 Spartak Stadium...
, joining country giants FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
in 1985, and scoring ten goals in his first season
1985 Soviet Top League
* Draw limit - 10 games, overlimit is deducted.* Next season the League has been planned to be reduced to 16 members. The teams that placed 15th and 16th played a mini-tournament with the two best out of the Soviet First League...
, which ended with league
Soviet Top League
The Soviet Top League since 1970 was officially known as the Supreme League serving as the top division of Soviet Union football since 1936.It was one of the best football leagues in Europe ranking second among the UEFA members in 1988-1989 seasons...
and cup
Soviet Cup
The Soviet Cup, or USSR Cup , was the premier football cup competition in the Soviet Union.-Finals:-Performance by club:-Performance by republic:-References:*, rsssf.com. Accessed on 16 May 2006....
conquest.
Alongside with teammates Oleg Blokhin
Oleg Blokhin
Oleh Volodymyrovych "Oleg" Blokhin is a Ukrainian football coach and current head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Blokhin was formerly a standout striker for Dynamo Kyiv and the Soviet national team...
and Oleksandr Zavarov, Belanov led the scoring charts at the 1985–86 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
(five apiece) as Dynamo won the competition for the second time. He played the full 90 minutes in the final against Atlético Madrid (3–0).
Germany
Mid-way through 1989, 29-year old Belanov got the long-awaited clearance to join a Western EuropeWestern Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
an side, making a move to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to join Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
. His debut in the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
came on 4 November 1989 in a 0–4 away defeat against VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
, but he failed to impress overall, netting only four times in his one 1/2-season stint.
Belanov moved to second level
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
's Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:...
in January 1991, after his wife had been involved in a shoplifting affair. He made his debut for his new club on 23 February, and went on to score only 13 goals in the competition in three seasons combined, also suffering relegation in 1992–93 without making a single appearance.
Retirement
In 1995, Belanov returned home to Chernomorets for one season, retiring at almost 37 after a spell with FC Illychivets Mariupol, appearing in only five games in two seasons combined.International career
Belanov played 33 times for the Soviet Union, scoring eight times. His best performance came at the 1986 FIFA World Cup1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where he netted four goals and assisted
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
for six others as the team (which comprised 13 Dynamo Kyiv players) reached the round of 16
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
; he scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in the game against Belgium, in a losing extra time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
effort (3–4).
This performance at the 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...
, along with Dynamo’s Cup Winners' Cup success, helped Belanov win the European Footballer of the Year
European Footballer of the Year
The "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
award. He was also part of the squad that reached the final of UEFA Euro 1988, where the national side faced Holland
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. With the score at 0–2, USSR were awarded a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
. Belanov took it, but saw goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen stop the shot, as the score remained unaltered.
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| SK Odesa | 1979 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 32 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 1980 | 36 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 36 | 11 | ||||||||||
| Chornomorets | 1981 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 29 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 1982 | 29 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 33 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 1983 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 28 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 1984 | 33 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 38 | 14 | ||||||||||
| Dynamo FC Dynamo Kyiv FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football... |
|||||||||||
| 1985 1985 Soviet Top League * Draw limit - 10 games, overlimit is deducted.* Next season the League has been planned to be reduced to 16 members. The teams that placed 15th and 16th played a mini-tournament with the two best out of the Soviet First League... |
31 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| 39 | 13 | ||||||||||
| 1986 1986 Soviet Top League The 1986 Soviet Top League season was the 49th since its establishment. Dynamo Kyiv were the defending 11-times champions.A total of sixteen teams participated in the league, which is two teams less than in the 1985 season and no teams were promoted from the First League, due to the league... |
22 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 14 | |
| 1987 1987 Soviet Top League -Final Standings:* 10 draw limited* + - Newly promotedPromotion* Lokomotiv Moscow * Chornomorets Odessa -Top scorers:18 goals* Oleh Protasov 16 goals* Arminas Narbekovas 12 goals* Fyodor Cherenkov... |
23 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 13 | |
| 1988 1988 Soviet Top League -Final Standings:* 10 draw limited * + - Newly promotedPromotion* Pamir Dushanbe * Rotor Volgograd -Top scorers:16 goals* Aleksandr Borodyuk * Yevhen Shakhov 15 goals... |
27 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 31 | 9 | ||||||||||
| 1989 1989 Soviet Top League -Final Standings:Promotion* CSKA Moscow * Guria Lanchkhuti * After this season the teams in italics quit the USSR Football Federation and joined the leagues of their native countries... |
18 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 22 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Borussia M'gladbach Borussia Mönchengladbach Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth... |
1989–90 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 15 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 12 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Braunschweig Eintracht Braunschweig Eintracht Braunschweig is a German association football club based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony. The club was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the national title in 1967.-History:... |
1990–91 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 9 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 30 | 11 | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | - | ||||||||||
| 1993–94 | 29 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 8 | |
| Chornomorets | 1995–96 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 3 | 1 | ||||||||||
| Metalurh Mariupol | 1995–96 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1996–97 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Career | Total | 404 | 111 | 36 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 465 | 131 |
- Others - USSR Super Cup, USSR Federation Cup and Bundesliga Play-Off
Club
- UEFA Cup Winners’ CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: 1985–86 - Soviet LeagueSoviet Top LeagueThe Soviet Top League since 1970 was officially known as the Supreme League serving as the top division of Soviet Union football since 1936.It was one of the best football leagues in Europe ranking second among the UEFA members in 1988-1989 seasons...
: 19851985 Soviet Top League* Draw limit - 10 games, overlimit is deducted.* Next season the League has been planned to be reduced to 16 members. The teams that placed 15th and 16th played a mini-tournament with the two best out of the Soviet First League...
, 19861986 Soviet Top LeagueThe 1986 Soviet Top League season was the 49th since its establishment. Dynamo Kyiv were the defending 11-times champions.A total of sixteen teams participated in the league, which is two teams less than in the 1985 season and no teams were promoted from the First League, due to the league... - Soviet CupSoviet CupThe Soviet Cup, or USSR Cup , was the premier football cup competition in the Soviet Union.-Finals:-Performance by club:-Performance by republic:-References:*, rsssf.com. Accessed on 16 May 2006....
: 1985, 1987 - Ukrainian Second LeagueUkrainian Second LeagueThe Ukrainian Second League is a professional football league in Ukraine which is part of the Professional Football League of Ukraine. The league is lower than the Ukrainian First League and the lowest level of professional football competitions in the country. Druha Liha is the third level of...
: 1995–96 - UEFA Super Cup: Runner-up 1986
Individual
- European Footballer of the YearEuropean Footballer of the YearThe "", literally translated as "the golden ball" and often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, was an annual association football award. It was presented to the player who had been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year...
: 1986 - UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: Top scorer 1985–86
Post-retirement
Belanov turned to business after finishing his playing career. He returned to prominence when he became the majority shareholder at SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
’s FC Wil
FC Wil
FC Wil, also known as FC Wil 1900, is a Swiss football club, playing in the town of Wil, Canton St. Gallen in the east of Switzerland. The club was founded in 1900, hence the name....
, in August 2003. His predecessor, banker Andreas Hafen, had been given a five-years imprisonment sentence after embezzling 51 million Swiss franc
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
s ($40 million) from the UBS Bank.
Belanov’s first move at Wil was replacing first-team manager Martin Andermatt
Martin Andermatt
Martin Andermatt is a Swiss football manager.-Career:The trained teacher commenced his career as player with SC Zug, FC Baar, FC Emmenbrücke, and FC Wettingen. After this followed assignments as professional with Grasshopper-Club Zürich and FC Basel...
with his former Dynamo Kyiv teammate Zavarov, not taking note of the fact that he lacked the necessary 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....
licence to manage a European top-division outfit. That circumstance forced Belanov to sign former FC Karl-Marx-Stadt
Chemnitzer FC
Chemnitzer FC is a German association football club based in Chemnitz, Saxony.The roots of the club go back to its establishment as Chemnitzer BC 1933 in 1933 after the collapse of former Chemnitzer BC 1899....
manager Joachim Müller. Due to the appointment of Müller, Zavarov’s job was officially described as director of football
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
; Müller did not last long as coach however, as Belanov sacked him just after three months, replacing him with Tomas Matejcek.
Matejcek’s strict training regiment caused a quick revolt amongst Wil players. This forced Belanov to make amend for his decisions and to re-appoint Müller as manager, and hand the assistant-manager role to former Swiss international
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
goalkeeper Stephan Lehmann
Stephan Lehmann
Stephan Lehmann is a retired Swiss football goalkeeper, last works as Assistant-, Goal- and Incentive Coach by FC Carl Zeiss Jena.-International:He was capped 18 times for the Swiss national team between 1989 and 1997...
. Those turned out to be Belanov’s last series of actions as Wil’s major shareholder as, in a quick sequence, he pulled out of his chairman and shareholder role of the club.
Additionally, Belanov also owned a football school in Odessa, which carried his name.