USSR football cups were held in the period 1936-1992. The trophy was held parallel to the championship games. Not only professional clubs, but also amateur groups took part in it. In total, they held the trophy 51 times. This competition was very popular among fans of all teams. Victory in the USSR Cup was tantamount to winning a champion title. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cup of Russia began to be held . USSR Cup football most won the capital “Spartak”. The last time, interestingly, the rally took place after the separation of the USSR.
Rules for
USSR football cups were often subjected to some changes. The structure itself changed insignificantly. Significant transformations occurred only in the tournament grids.
From the moment the cup was founded, amateur teams of physical education schools had the right to take part in it. To get directly into the main stages of the competition, good results were required in the framework of the city or regional championship. This rule was valid until 1957. After that, amateur teams were not involved in the tournament.
USSR and Russian football cups begin with preliminary rounds. Clubs from the lower divisions take part in them. As the tournament progressed, representatives from higher leagues were involved. They joined the fight for Cup 1 of the USSR League in football at the 1/16 final stage.
The system by which the USSR Cup was carried out is Olympic. Each match took place on the relegation, that is, the club, which was defeated, flew out of the competition. The winner was determined in one match. In the event of a tie, a repeat game was made at the opponent's stadium. Replay was carried out up to three times. In 1950, a rule was adopted according to which in the return match the result was determined using extra time and a penalty shootout. The same system was taken as the basis for the final game.
Serious changes occurred in the 70s. According to the new rule, the preliminary stages were carried out in a circular pattern. Also, football clubs were divided by area. For further participation in the draw, it was required to take the first or second line in his group.
USSR football cups were initially held in accordance with the spring-autumn system, in other words, for one year. The primary games took place in the spring, and the completion and final in the fall. Changes occurred in 1984. According to the new regulations, the start of the Cup took place in the fall, and the end in the spring.
An interesting point is that all the finals were held in the stadiums of Moscow.
The first trophy
The protocols of the USSR Cup on football have always been an integral part of this tournament. Largely thanks to them, even today, after many years, it is possible to see how the meetings were held.
The first draw of the USSR Cup began in June 1936. 94 teams fought for the opportunity to get such a coveted trophy. At the same time, 28 were professionals.
The confrontation of the teams began at 1/64 stage. This stage was filled not only with amateur teams, but also with sufficiently strong and experienced clubs, such as, for example, Dynamo (Batumi). To identify the winner of the pair “Locomotive” (Kharkov) - “Wings of the Soviets” had to spend two replay. The Kharkiv team turned out to be more successful, and he moved on to the next stage.
The first owner of the cup - Moscow “Lokomotiv” - took part in the competition from 1/32. In that draw, the team showed a brilliant game, masterfully beating their rivals with a big score. The most difficult and at the same time memorable was the match against Dynamo from Kharkov. A huge number of cards and six deletions were recorded in the minutes of matches for the USSR Cup on football. Then only one goal was scored by a Moscow club player from the penalty spot.
Many strong teams made it to the finals. Separately, we can distinguish Dynamo from Tbilisi. The team was able to get around the Moscow “Spartak”. In the 30s and 40s, this club was the most productive, so Dynamo fans were very happy about the victory.
In the final of that draw, Moscow “railroad” met with Tbilisi “Dynamo”. “Lokomotiv” was able to win with a dry score and, thus, became the first team in history to which this title was submitted.
Achievements of Spartak
Many current fans of the Moscow “Spartak” did not find the amazing game that the club demonstrated in the last century. The USSR and Russian Football Cup, the draw protocols of which are still stored, abound with the name of the capital's club. Between 1930 and 1950, Spartak was too tough for most teams and often delighted its fans with various trophies and achievements.
At that time, Petr Popov acted as a club mentor, and subsequently he was replaced by a specialist from Estonia Albert Volrata. The team received many trophies and achievements precisely thanks to these coaches.
For a short period of time, “Spartak” took this prestigious title four times, which could not be any other club. Until 1960, the Moscow team was stubborn and won the title in 1938, 1939, 1946 and 1947. During the specified period, only two times were able to raise this title above the head of the players of “CSKA”, as well as once “Dynamo”, “Zenith” and “Torpedo”.
The game in 1946 can be called the most interesting ending of that time. In the fight for the season’s cup, Moscow's Spartak and Georgian Dynamo clashed. A club from Tbilisi was able to take the initiative in the match and score two goals already in the first half. It seemed that the outcome of the game was a foregone conclusion, but in the second half the red and white managed to turn the tide and, scoring three times, took the trophy.
1950-1960
If until 1960 only Moscow teams shone in the competition, in particular Spartak, then after a decade began a team from Ukraine. Great representatives were Dynamo from Kiev and Shakhtar from Donetsk, who alternately won the USSR Cup. To the place will be noted and the Lviv “Carpathians”, which in a bitter struggle were able to get this title in 1969.
It should be said that at the beginning of this period, rather, Far Eastern teams were noted. For example, in 1968, to the surprise of many, Pakhtakor made it to the finals, which was stopped only in the finals by the Moscow Torpedo. Meanwhile, the team from Uzbekistan was considered the main favorite of that meeting.
Climbing teams from Georgia and Armenia
Until the 70s, only teams from Ukraine and Russia could fight among themselves, easily beating others. Everything changed in the 1970-1980s, when the Armenian and Georgian clubs started a serious struggle for the USSR Cup. During this period, Dynamo from Tbilisi and Ararat from Yerevan managed to win the trophy twice.
Also, particular success in the USSR Cup was able to achieve Kiev “Dynamo”. In 1985, the team managed to win the seventh time, and after only two seasons the club got the trophy for the eighth time.
USSR Super Cup
The USSR Super Cup, or, as it was otherwise called, the Season Cup, is a tournament that took place between the teams in 1977-1988. This trophy was played among themselves by the owners of the USSR Cup and the country's champions. The tournament did not have much popularity and was held irregularly. The last time he was played in 1989. Attendance was only about one and a half thousand spectators.
The collapse of the USSR, and with it the tournament
By the sunset of the USSR Cup, its rules began to change. The tournament was held at that moment according to the "fall-spring" scheme. The first holder of the title under such rules was Dynamo from Kiev. In matches of the Ukrainian team then Salenko and Luzhny shone. Thanks to these players, the Kiev club easily defeated the capital “Lokomotiv” and got another title.
The 1991 USSR Cup was marked by the stubborn victory of CSKA from Moscow. In the final, “CSKA” had to face the metropolitan “Torpedo”. The fate of the cup was determined in the last minutes of the match.
The final trophy was held after the collapse of the USSR in 1992. The last owner of the Cup was Spartak, who confidently beat CSKA in the final. This victory is quite symbolic. After all, Spartak is a club with the most wins in the cup, namely ten.
Most productive
It is no secret to anyone that the most exciting and interesting tournament in our country is the Cup of the USSR and Russia on football. All matches, the protocols of which are available to everyone, turned out to be dramatic and unpredictable. Each year was remembered by its owner of this cup. Here are the top scoring clubs in this competition:
- Spartak (Moscow) was able to become the owner of the USSR Cup ten times.
- Dynamo (Kiev) - nine times.
- “Torpedo” and “Dynamo” from Moscow won the title six times.
- CSKA Moscow (Moscow) has five USSR Cups.
- Shakhtar (Donetsk) was able to win the USSR Cup four times.
- Dynamo (Tbilisi), Ararat (Yerevan) and Lokomotiv (Moscow) took the cup twice with them.
Once, many clubs in the Soviet Union were able to achieve victories.
Cup of Russia
After the collapse of the USSR, the Russian Cup came to replace. This competition has not undergone huge changes. The only big change was the participation of only Russian clubs. Another significant innovation is the choice of venue. Since 2009, the Cup final has been played not only in Moscow, but also in many other cities of Russia. Amateur clubs that could take a high place in regional competitions and get a certain license can take part in the tournament.
The competition is held according to the scheme "autumn-spring". At the same time, due to the huge number of participants, the first games are held in April, that is, before the final of the current draw (usually takes place in May).
The club that won the tournament receives not only the title, but also a ticket to the Europa League. This happens, of course, with some reservations.
The largest number of times the Cup of Russia went to the Moscow “CSKA” (seven times) and “Locomotive” (six times). Then come Spartak with three titles and Zenit with two.
The current cup winner is Lokomotiv (Moscow).
USSR Cup Facts
- The total number of teams that won the cup is 14.
- The finals were 21 teams.
- The greatest number of times in the final went to “Spartak” and “Torpedo” from Moscow - 15 times.
- Dynamo (Moscow) for the first time in the cup made a double - 1937.
- Moscow “Spartak” - a team that sold twice twice in a row - in the seasons 1938-1939 and 1946-1947.
- For more than two consecutive seasons, no team has won the cup.
- The first team not from Moscow, which was able to win the title, was the Leningrad “Zenith” in 1944. This victory is the only one on their account in the USSR Cup.