Alexandr Zavarov

Alexandr Zavarov is one of the most talented players in the history of Ukrainian football. A genius attacking-midfielder, he will have brought Dynamo kyiv to 1 European title.

Trophies

126

Goals

562

Games

1977/79 Zarya Voroshilovgrad (USSR) 23 matches, 7 goals

1980/81 SKA Rostov (USSR) 80 matches, 17 goals

(USSR Championship: 64 matches, 13 goals)

(USSR Cup: 13 matches, 2 goals)

(Cup Winners' Cup: 3 matches, 2 goals)

1982 Zarya Voroshilovgrad (USSR) 30 matches, 10 goals

1983/88 Dynamo Kyiv (USSR) 170 matches, 48 goals

(USSR Championship: 136 matches, 36 goals)

(USSR Cup: 15 matches, 7 goals)

(European Cup of Champion Clubs: 8 matches)

(Cup Winners' Cup: 8 matches, 5 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 2 matches)

(UEFA Super Cup: 1 match)

1988/90 Juventus Turin (ITA) 76 matches, 13 goals

(Italian Championship: 60 matches, 7 goals)

(Italian Cup: 8 matches, 5 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 8 matches, 1 goal)

1990/95 AS Nancy-Lorraine (FRA) 142 matches, 25 goals

(French Championship: 58 matches, 10 goals)

(French D2 Championship: 76 matches, 13 goals)

(French Cup: 8 matches, 2 goals)

With the National Team :

41 caps, 6 goals

(Friendly matches: 12 caps, 1 goal)

(World Cup qualifiers: 11 caps, 1 goal)

(World Cup: 7 caps, 2 goals)

(Euro qualifiers: 6 caps, 2 goals)

(Euro: 5 caps)

1st cap: August 7, 1985 against Romania (2-0)

Last cap: June 18, 1990 against Cameroon (4-0)

U23: 3 caps, 1 goal

Oleksandr Anatoliyovych Zavarov

Born April 26, 1961 in Luhansk (USSR)

Ukrainian, Attacking Midfielder, 1m70

Nicknames: Sacha, The Tsar

A promising start

Alexandr Zavarov was born on April 26, 1961 in Luhansk and began his football career in 1977, at the age of 16 for the Zarya Voroshilovgrad club. Very quickly spotted for his technical qualities, he already had a great ability to score goals.

It was by joining SKA Rostov that the young USSR player would experience his first hours of glory since he participated for the first time in his career in the Cup Winners' Cup, for a first experience, he scored 2 goals in 3 matches and showed himself as one of the most promising players in the USSR.

Zavarov, the forgotten hero of Dynamo Kyiv

Considered a foil to Belanov, he reached the peak of his career in 1986, he then played for Dynamo kyiv. At 25, the player proved to be more than decisive in the Cup Winners' Cup, in 8 games played, he scored 5 goals and provided 5 assists, stringing together great performances alongside Belanov. Zavarov also scored 1 goal in the final won 3-0 against Atlético Madrid. During that season, Dynamo kyiv was considered one of the most attractive and beautiful teams to watch play. With Zavarov as conductor, who was considered by some to be the best player in the team, it was ultimately Belanov who won the 1986 Ballon d'Or. And Zavarov finished in 6th place.

Far from being considered at his true value, the player played Euro 1988 and reached the final of the competition. Unfortunately, they lost against the Netherlands, but Zavarov had a great competition with rather good matches against Italy and twice against the Netherlands.

Career continuation in Western Europe

Aged 27, the player decided in the summer of 1988 to leave the USSR and join Juventus. The player was not considered at his true value in Eastern Europe, considered behind Belanov in the hierarchy of USSR headliners.

The adaptation was difficult in Italy and he was unable to settle permanently in the team, after only 2 seasons, he already left top-level football and Juventus Turin to join France and AS Nancy-Lorraine. A fan of Michel Platini, he was keen to replace the French playmaker in the hearts of Nancy supporters.

In France, he showed a very good level in a modest team in the championship, and he became a legend of the club, particularly for his speed, his technique and his ball handling. With his great ball strike, he scored 23 goals in 134 games for the French club. He finally retired in 1995, at the age of 34.