Former Ballon d'Or winner joins Ukraine's military

Igor Belanov won the prize back in 1986

Posted Sunday, April 10, 2022 by Marca.com

Former striker Igor Belanov, who won the 1986 Ballon d'Or, has joined Ukraine's military forces in his bid to help his country following Russia's invasion.

Belanov won eight titles at Dynamo Kiev, having also played for Borussia Moenchengladbach and Eintracht Braunschweig in the 1980s and 1990s.

Currently aged 61, one of three Ukrainian players to win the Ballon d'Or, along with Oleh Blokhin (1975) and Andriy Shevchenko (2004), Belanov has joined the army to protect Ukraine.

The former striker met with the president of the Ukrainian Football Association, Andriy Pavelko, after the latter visited his hometown of Odessa last Wednesday. The two men talked with various military groups and handed out aid and gifts.

Proud of his decision

Belanov posted a series of images of himself holding a gun and posing with other soldiers, taking to Facebook to praise Ukraine's armed forces.

"'Amazing courage and inexhaustible fighting spirit," he wrote.

"All this and much more characterises our soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We are with you."

The victory over Atletico

Born in Odessa, Belanov began his professional career in his hometown with SKA Odessa and Chornomorets Odessa. He would eventually represent the Soviet Union 33 times, scoring eight goals in a five-year period after making his debut in 1985.

A year later, he was the surprise Ballon d'Or winner after helping Dynamo Kiev win the Cup Winners' Cup following a 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the final.