Consistent football competitions were taken place in Ukraine in the beginning of the 20th century when the modern country was divided between Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Russia. The most progressive league where Ukrainians participated were Polish and USSR championships (Dinamo Kyiv is known worldwide).
In the 1970s and 1980s, the backbone of the Soviet Union national football team were players out of the Dinamo Kyiv's first team while the team was also coached by the Kievan native and the Dinamo Kyiv franchise person -- Valery Lobanovsky. Oleh Blokhin, another Kievan native and the legendary Ukrainian player and coach, became the USSR national team leader in games participated and goals scored for the team. He reflected the mentorship of his coach, Valery Lobanovsky, and extending the long possessing football traditions of his native country by taking the Ukraine national team to quarter finals of the World Cup in 2006. Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) was created and recognized by FIFA only in 1992. That led several players played for the Ukraine national team in 1993 to reconsider their choice by choosing their opportunities in more successful team of Russian Federation which was considered as the successor of the Soviet national team with all its success. By recognizing only the Russian team as the successor many Russian statisticians are advocating that as the main reason to consider the Ukrainian born footballers that played for the Soviet team to be Russians. The players such as Andrei Kanchelskis and Sergei Yuran are not included in the list for the reason choosing to play for the Russian team over the Ukrainian. Note that there are no Viktor Onopko or Andrei Karyaka as well, although the last one played several games for the junior squad of the national team.
While waiting for recognition from FIFA in 1992, the national team of Ukraine failed to gain to be seeded on time for the World Cup qualification competition from Europe.
List of Soviet Ukrainians
NameYears of lifePlace of birth/deathCapsGoalsCommentsOleh Blokhin1952–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR -11242Anatoliy Demyanenko1959–presentDnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR -806Volodymyr Bezsonov1958–presentKharkiv, Ukrainian SSR -794Oleh Protasov1964–presentDnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR -68/129/0Oleh Kuznetsov1963–presentMagdeburg, East Germany -63/31/0Volodymyr Kaplychnyi1944 – 2004Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine620Hennadiy Lytovchenko1963–presentDniprodzerzhinsk, Ukrainian SSR -58/415/0Viktor Kolotov1949 – 2000Yudino, Tatar ASSR, Russian SFSR - Kyiv, Ukraine5422Leonid Buryak1953–presentOdesa, Ukrainian SSR -5310Volodymyr Muntyan1946–2025Kotovsk, Ukrainian SSR -497Yevhen Rudakov1942–2011Moscow, Russian SFSR - Kyiv, Ukraine480Anatoliy Konkov1949–2024Krasnyi Luch, Ukrainian SSR -478Vasyl Rats1961–presentFanchykovo, Ukrainian SSR -474Serhiy Baltacha1958–presentZhdanov, Ukrainian SSR -452Volodymyr Onyshchenko1949–presentStechanka, Chornobyl Raion, Ukrainian SSR -4411Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko1963–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR -41/29/0Oleksandr Zavarov1961–presentLuhansk, Ukrainian SSR -416Yozhef Sabo1940–presentUngvár, Kingdom of Hungary -408Anatoliy Byshovets1946–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR -3915Yuriy Istomin1944 - 1999Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR - Moscow, Russia340Ihor Belanov1960–presentOdesa, Ukrainian SSR -338Volodymyr Troshkin1947–2020Yenakiieve, Ukrainian SSR -311Volodymyr Veremeyev1946–presentSpassk-Dalny, Russian SFSR -262Yuriy Voynov1931 – 2003Kalininsky, Russian SFSR - Kyiv, Ukraine265Akhrik Tsveiba1966–presentGudauta, Georgian SSR -25/12/08 games played for RussiaMykhaylo Fomenko1948 – 2024Mala Rybytsia, Sumy Oblast, Ukrainian SSR -240Viktor Matviyenko1948 – 2018Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine210Viktor Serebryanikov1940 – 2014Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine213Viktor Chanov1959 – 2017Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine210Andriy Bal1958 – 2014Rozdil, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine201Vitaliy Khmelnytskyi1943 – 2019Tymoshivka, Orikhiv Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine207Sergey Shavlo1956–presentNikopol, Ukrainian SSR -191Pavlo Yakovenko1964–presentNikopol, Ukrainian SSR -191Ivan Yaremchuk1962–presentVelykyi Bychkiv, Ukrainian SSR -182Yuriy Dehteryov1948 – 2022Stalino, Ukrainian SSR - Donetsk, Ukraine170Stefan Reshko1947–presentKliucharky, Ukrainian SSR -150Viktor Bannikov1938 – 2001Luhyny, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine140Oleksandr Berezhnyi1957–presentSukhodilsk, Ukrainian SSR -140Anatoliy Puzach1941 - 2006Krasnyi Kut, Russian SFSR - Kyiv, Ukraine142Viktor Zvyagintsev1950–presentDonetsk, Ukrainian SSR -131Vadym Yevtushenko1958–presentPyatikhatky, Ukrainian SSR -121Vladimir Pilguy1948–presentDnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR -120Vyacheslav Semyonov1947–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR -114Leonid Ostrovskiy1936 – 2001Riga, Latvia - Kyiv, Ukraine90Viktor Kuznetsov1949–presentKamenolomnia, Crimea, Russian SFSR -80Anatoliy Kuksov1949–presentLuhansk, Ukrainian SSR -80Valeriy Porkujan1944–presentKirovohrad, Ukrainian SSR -84Viktor Pasulko1961–presentIlnytsia, Ukrainian SSR -81Vadym Tyshchenko1963–presentHorodok, Ukrainian SSR -80Oleh Luzhnyi1968–presentLviv, Ukrainian SSR - 8/520/0Yuri Susloparov1958 – 2012Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR - Istrinsky District, Moscow, Russia70Fedir Medvid1943 – 1997Novo-Davydkove, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine72Vladimir Liuty1962–presentDnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR -61Ivan Vyshnevskyi1957 – 1996Salavat, Bashkir ASSR, Russian SFSR - Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine60Eduard Kozinkevich1949 – 1994Lviv, Ukrainian SSR - Lviv, Ukraine61Viktor Kanevski1936 – 2018Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR - Bristol, Connecticut, US50Ivan Hetsko1968–presentDnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR -5/40/1Yuri Romensky1952–presentMinchegavir, Azerbaijan SSR -?5Volodymyr Lozynskyi1955–presentBryansk Oblast, Russian SFSR - ?40Yuri Nikiforov1970–presentOdesa, Ukrainian SSR -4/30/055 games for Russia, 6 goalsOleh Rodin1956–presentMoscow, Russian SFSR -40Vadym Sosnikhin1942 – 2003Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine40Stepan Yurchyshyn1957–presentKernitsa, Ukrainian SSR -41Oleksandr Zhuravliov1945–presentVoroshylovhrad, Ukrainian SSR - 30Viktor Fomin1929 – 2007Sloviansk, Ukrainian SSR - Ukraine30Serhiy Kuznetsov1950–presentKamenolomnia, Crimea, Ukrainian SSR -30Vladimir Levchenko1944 – 2006Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR - Kyiv, Ukraine30Volodymyr Malygin1949–presentVoroshilovsk, Ukrainian SSR -30Oleksandr Tkachenko1947–presentKupiansk, Ukrainian SSR -30Serhiy Shmatovalenko1967–presentOdesa, Ukrainian SSR -2/80/0Mykola Fedorenko1955–presentOrdzhonikidze, Ukrainian SSR - 2 1Volodymyr Dudarenko1946 – 2017Rivne, Ukrainian SSR - Rivne, Ukraine 2 0Yozhef Betsa1929 – 2011Mukachevo, Czechoslovakia - Mukachevo, Ukraine20Ihor Kulchytsky1941–presentLviv, Ukrainian SSR -20Valeriy Lobanovskyi1939–2002Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR - Zaporizhya, Ukraine20Petro Slobodian1953–presentKolomea Raion, Ukrainian SSR -20Oleksiy Cherednyk1960–presentStalinabad, Tajik SSR - 20Leonid Shmuts1948–presentNikopol, Ukrainian SSR -20Evgeni Jarovenko1963–presentKaratau, Djambul, Kazakh SSR -20Andriy Biba1938–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR -10Lev Brovarsky1948 – 2009Drohobych, Ukrainian SSR - Lviv, Ukraine10Valeri Gorbunov1953–1996Horlivka, Ukrainian SSR - Horlivka, Ukraine10Viktor Grachyov1956–presentDzerzhinsk, Ukrainian SSR -10Viktor Kaplun1958–presentZaporizhia, Ukrainian SSR -10Valeri Zuyev1952–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR - 10Mykhailo Forkash1948–presentUzhhorod, Ukrainian SSR - 10Oleh Makarov1929 – 1995Rubtsovsk, Altai, Russian SFSR - Kiev, Ukraine10Serhiy Morozov1950–presentSverdlovsk, Russian SFSR -10Mykola Pinchuk1946–presentTikhoretsk, Russian SFSR -10Ivan Privalov1902–1974Kharkiv, Russian Empire - Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR1All games of the Soviet Union 0Oleksandr Shpakovsky1899–1942Kharkiv, Russian Empire - GULAG, Khabarovsk, Russian SFSR11Anatoliy Shepel1949–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR -10Anatoliy Shulzhenko1945 – 1997Voroshylovhrad, Ukrainian SSR - Luhansk, Ukraine10Viacheslav Leshchuk1951–presentBilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukrainian SSR -10Viktor Lysenko1947 -–2003Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR - Mykolaiv, Ukraine10Mykola Pavlov1954–presentKyiv, Ukrainian SSR - 10Vyacheslav Chanov1951–presentMoscow, Russian SFSR -10
Unofficial games NameYears of lifePlace of birth/deathCapsGoalsCommentsKostyantyn Fomin1903–1964100(Dynamo Kharkiv → Dynamo Kyiv)Viktor Shylovsky1911 – 197362(Dynamo Kyiv)Ivan Privalov1902 – 1974Kharkiv, Russian Empire - Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR6All games of the Soviet Union 0(Rabis Kharkiv → Dynamo Kharkiv)Oleksandr Babkin5(-5)(?)(KhPZ Kharkiv)Konstantin Shchegodskiy1911 – 198941(Dynamo Kyiv)Mykola Krotov1898–1978Kharkiv, Russian Empire - Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR10(Rabis Kharkiv)Viktor Fomin1929 – 2007Sloviansk, Ukrainian SSR - ?10Valentyn Prokofyev10(Dynamo Kyiv)Mykola Fomin1909 – 197410(Dynamo Kharkiv)Anton Idzkovsky1907 – 1995Kiev, Russian Empire - Kyiv, Ukraine10(Dynamo Kyiv)Aleksandr Shpakovsky1899 – 194210(Dynamo Kharkiv)Volodymyr Fomin1902 – 1942(Dynamo Kharkiv)
Ukrainian Olympians on the Soviet team
Yozhef Betsa* Volodymyr Kaplychnyi Yozhef Sabo* Viktor Kolotov* Anatoliy Kuksov* Vyacheslav Semyonov Yuriy Yeliseyev Volodymyr Onyshchenko Oleh Blokhin
Oleksandr Ponomarov (coach) Viktor Zvyahintsev Viktor Matviyenko Stefan Reshko Volodymyr Troshkin Mykhaylo Fomenko Anatoliy Konkov Leonid Buryak
Volodymyr Veremeyev* Valeriy Lobanovskyi (coach) Volodymyr Bezsonov Sergei Baltacha Oleksiy Cherednyk* Vadym Tyshchenko Volodymyr Lyutyi Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko
Russian Olympians born in Ukraine Sergey Shavlo Yuriy Istomin Vladimir Pilguy Sergey Andreyev Igor Dobrovolski Anatoliy Byshovets (coach)
Ukrainian footballers on the Soviet junior teams
Valeriy Horbunov Yuriy Kovalyov* Petro Slobodyan Viktor Chanov Sergei Baltacha Anatoliy Demyanenko Serhiy Zhuravlyov Viktor Kaplun Andriy Bal Yaroslav Dumanskyi Anatoliy Radenko Oleh Luzhnyi Andriy Sydelnykov Serhiy Shmatovalenko Serhiy Zayets Rostyslav Potochnyak
Valentyn Kryachko Hryhoriy Batych Oleksandr Sopko Serhiy Zharkov Yuriy Syvukha Yuriy Dehteryov* Viktor Kuznetsov* Leonid Shmuts Oleksandr Berezhnoy Viktor Nastashevskyi* Anatoliy Saulevych
Serhiy Krakovskyi Serhiy Naidenko Serhiy Ovchynnykov* Valeriy Zubenko Mykhaylo Olefirenko Oleh Taran Ihor Lytvynenko Volodymyr Bednyi Oleh Benko* Serhiy Bezhenar Oleg Salenko*
Anatoliy Mushchynka Yuriy Mokrytskyi Yuriy Moroz Oleh Matveyev* Valeriy Vysokos Mykola Rusyn Yuriy Makarov Yevhen Pokhlebayev Serhiy Scherbakov Volodymyr Sharan Serhiy Kandaurov*
Russian footballers born in Ukraine Yuri Susloparov Gennadi Kostylev (coach) Oleksandr Pomazun Sergei Mamchur (Russia U-21)
Grigori Bogemsky 1913 Evgeni Aldonin 2002–07 Artyom Bezrodny 1999 Viktor Budyanskiy 2007 Igor Dobrovolski 1992–98 Oleksandr Horshkov 1998 Andrei Kanchelskis 1992–98 Andrei Karyaka 2001–05 Vladimir Lebed 1995 Roman Neustädter 2016– Yuriy Nikiforov 1993–2002 Gennadiy Nizhegorodov 2000–03 Viktor Onopko 1992–2004 Sergei Podpaly 1992–94 Sergei Semak 1997–2010 Vladislav Ternavsky 1994–96 Ilya Tsymbalar 1994–99 Sergei Yuran 1992–99 Anton Shvets 2018–
Senior national team all-time records Here included players that with help of FIFA, the Russian Football Union claims of their own. Such players, Oleg Blokhin, Oleg Protasov, and Anatoliy Demyanenko, still are the indicators of class for all players in Ukraine. Those players committed their playing career to the clubs of the Lower Dnipro river region.
Most capped Ukraine players