The coach who brought up the winner of the Golden Ball passed away in Odesa

Honored coach of Ukraine Eduard Maslovsky died in Odesa. He was 90 years old.

This was reported by ua-football portal.

"The legendary figure of Odesa football, Honored Coach of Ukraine Eduard Maslovsky, died at the age of 91," the statement said.

Eduard Maslovsky was born on August 25, 1934. In the 1950s, he played for Lviv's SKVO, and from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, with interruptions, he worked as a coach and head coach of the Odesa army team SKA, later known as SC Odesa. In the 1970s, he coached Bukovyna Chernivtsi, and later devoted himself to working at the Children's and Youth Sports School of SKA (Odesa), where he trained several generations of football players. Among his most famous students is the 1986 Ballon d'Or winner Ihor Belanov, who became a legend in Soviet and Ukrainian football.

Ilya Tsymbalar, Oleh Taran, Serhii Puchkov, Oleh Suslov, Viktor Sakhno, Oleh Kosheliuk, Yurii Sak, the Mali brothers, Ihor Ivanenko, Volodymyr Smarovoz and many others also played under Maslovskyi's guidance at Odesa's SKA. Maslovsky is remembered as a mentor who shaped not only football skills but also character in his students.

"The Ballon d'Or is a prestigious football award presented annually by the French publication France Football to the world's best football player of the calendar year.

It is awarded for individual achievements, overall contribution to the game, performances for the club and national team, as well as for skill, style of play and sportsmanship. The winner is determined by a vote of international journalists representing their countries.

In 2024, Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri became the Ballon d'Or winner.

Andriy Shevchenko won the Ballon d'Or in 2004. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the event, the UAF President brought his award to Ukraine. Everyone was able to see the main football award. On December 23, 2024, the trophy was displayed at the Odesa Railway Station.

Ірина Глухова