Valeriy Lobanovskyi was born in Kyiv on January 6, 1939. As a player, he was a forward for Dynamo Kyiv (1959–1964), Chornomorets Odesa (1965–1966), and Shakhtar Donetsk (1967–1968). He was a Soviet Champion in 1961 and a Soviet Cup winner in 1964. Lobanovskyi also earned two caps for the Soviet Union national team and played two matches for the Soviet Olympic team.

After retiring as a player, Lobanovskyi transitioned into coaching, leading Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (1968–1973) and Dynamo Kyiv (1973–1982, 1984–1990, 1996–2002). Under his leadership, Dynamo Kyiv won eight Soviet championships, five Ukrainian championships, six Soviet Cups, and three Ukrainian Cups. His teams also achieved international glory, claiming the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1975 and 1986, as well as the UEFA Super Cup in 1975.

On the international stage, Lobanovskyi guided the Soviet Union national team to a bronze medal at the 1976 Olympics and a silver medal at EURO 1988. He also coached Kuwait’s national team, leading them to a bronze medal at the 1994 Asian Games. From 2000 to 2002, Lobanovskyi served as the head coach of the Ukraine national team.

Photo by Mykola Bochok

His achievements were recognized with numerous honors, including UEFA’s Ruby Order of Merit and FIFA’s Order of Merit.

Valeriy Lobanovskyi passed away on May 13, 2002, in Zaporizhzhia, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy in the world of football.