Viktor Yakushev

Viktor Yakushev played his entire career, from 1955-77, with one club – Lokomotiv Moskva. He never won a Soviet title, but was third in 1961. Yakushev was the leading goal scorer at the 1959 Soviet Championships, with Konstantin Loktev, with 21 goals. Internationally, besides his Olympic gold and bronze medal, Yakushev was World Champion five times (1963-67) and won a silver (1959) and two bronzes (1960-61) at the World Championships. He also won European titles seven times (1959-60 and 1963-67) and was runner-up in 1961. After his playing career, Yakushev was the long-time coach of Lokomotiv Moskva. On the evening of 27 June 2001, around ten o’clock, Viktor Yakushev left the 70th birthday party of his friend, Anatoly Ilyin, an Olympic gold medalist in football, to go home. Eight hours later he was discovered in the park near his home, severely beaten up, and he died about ten days later from the wounds. His attackers were never found.