Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
The last great days of the Soviet Union
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June 15, 2024
11 minutes
Available for over a year
In 1988, the Soviet Union made it to the final of the European Championships where they faced competition favourites, the Netherlands.
It proved to be the side’s last great achievement before the breakup of the union.
Soviet defender Sergei Baltacha remembers coming on as a substitute to mark the world’s best player, Marco van Basten.
He speaks to Tim Mansel.
(Photo: Sergei Baltacha tackling Holland's Ruud Gullit. Credit: Reuters)