The extraordinary story of legendary goalkeeper Yashin had waited for 150 penalties

He was an international star and an iconic figure, famous for his black clothes and his hat.

But his childhood disappeared in a war - torn land and died at the age of 60 after a pesonym suffering from ill health that led to the loss of a leg.

Valentina Timofeevna Yashina leans on her armchair. She's talking about her husband, one of the best players in the world.

Lev Yashin, the only goalkeeper given the best prize, is a Soviet icon. He's had several nicknames like the “Black Panther”, “Black Spider”, a legend that isn't truer than in this room, while his wife talks about his past.

Valentina is 88-year-old and she lives in an apartment that the state had given her in 1964. Large photos of Franz Beckenbauer, Pele and Eusebius, their two daughters, and their grandchildren are on Yash's wall. In the corridor, dozens of medals hang in a red cloth.

In 1962 the Soviet Union was eliminated in the quarterfinals, with a loss of 2-1 from Chile. Yashin, 32-year-old at the time, was not in his best shape. When the team returned home from South America, supporters were upset. Everybody said “Yasin was tired” and “the retirement time has come”.

But Yashin in 1960 he was a hero, as his team dominated Yugoslavia at the European Championship. After the match with Chile, Valentina says she had never seen her husband that bad.

In his autobiography, he wrote: “What is depression? I don't know. The over the years, the emulsion began to make itself into something that suddenly broke. I didn't feel anything at the time except the zassemble”.

He was also good at the ice sport Ice hockey. It will be part of four World Champions, helping his country win two trophies, expecting 150 penalties and his reputation to be raised as an international icon.

Yash was known for his regularity and modesty. He was six inches tall. In December 1963, Yash won the Golden Ball, which was given to become the best player in the world. In this season, Dinamo won the fifth championship with Yashini at the helm, he played an extraordinary game, taking only 7 goals in 27 games.

In 1956 the Soviet Union won the gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics, Yash maintains its gate intact, in a 1-0 victory over Yugoslavia by granting his team its first international title.

In 1960, the Soviet Union wins U's European Cup EFA, later known as the European Championship, reported “BBC”, report Periscope.

The Soviet Union will reach the European Championship final in 1954, but will lose 2-1 from Spain. Yash will be chosen as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

Yashin was 41 when he ended his soccer career. Those moments reminds his wife Valentina, who says he was left in despair for the fact that the pain in her leg forced her not to continue protecting the gate of the Soviet Union and Dinamo's team.

But his recent years were very disturbing as heart problems, leg amputation, two heart attacks.

Yashhin has spent his retirement share living with his second passion - fishing. But his health was always a problem for him. During his career, he even suffered from stomach pains that Valentina suspected was the result of poor food.

Just days before Yash died in March 1990, he had a final honor. He was awarded the gold medal for the Socialist Labour Hero./Periscopi/