Igor Netto

A Russian Football Hero

The Article

Igor Netto was one of the greatest Russian footballers in history. He was born in Moscow on September 9, 1930. His full name was Igor Aleksandrovich Netto. He became a legend in Soviet football and people still remember him today.

Early Life and Career

Netto started playing football when he was young. He loved the sport and practiced every day. In 1949, when he was only 19 years old, he joined Spartak Moscow. This was one of the best football clubs in the Soviet Union. Netto stayed with Spartak Moscow for his entire career. He never played for another club.

Netto was a midfielder. This means he played in the middle of the field. Midfielders are very important because they help both attack and defense. They need to run a lot and be good at passing the ball. Netto was excellent at all these things.

Success with the National Team

Netto first played for the Soviet Union national team in 1952. He quickly became one of the most important players. In 1954, he became the team captain. A captain is the leader of the team on the field. Being captain is a great honor.

In 1956, something amazing happened. The Soviet Union team went to the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. Netto was the captain. The team played very well and won the gold medal. This was the first time the Soviet Union won Olympic gold in football. The whole country was very happy and proud.

Four years later, in 1960, there was the first European Championship. This was a new competition for the best teams in Europe. The Soviet Union played in the final match against Yugoslavia. It was a very exciting game. The Soviet team won 2-1 and became European champions. Again, Netto was the captain. He lifted the trophy in front of thousands of fans.

The Famous Act of Honesty

Netto is famous not just for winning, but also for being honest. In 1962, the World Cup was in Chile. The Soviet Union played against Uruguay in a group match. During the game, a Soviet player scored a goal. The ball went into the net and the referee said it was a goal.

But there was a problem. The ball had gone outside the field before it went into the goal. The referee did not see this. He thought it was a correct goal. But Netto saw what happened. He knew the goal was not correct.

What did Netto do? He went to the referee and told him the truth. He said, "The ball went out. This is not a goal." The referee was surprised, but he listened to Netto. He cancelled the goal. The match continued and finished 2-1 to Uruguay.

This was a very unusual thing to do. Most players want their team to win. They do not tell the referee when a goal is wrong. But Netto believed in fair play. He thought being honest was more important than winning. People around the world respected him for this.

Club Career at Spartak Moscow

Netto spent 18 years playing for Spartak Moscow. He played more than 350 matches for the club. He helped Spartak win the Soviet championship five times. He was one of the club's best players ever.

The fans loved Netto. He always worked hard on the field. He never gave up. He was also a good person off the field. He was polite and kind to everyone.

Later Life

Netto stopped playing professional football in 1966. He was 36 years old. But he did not leave football completely. He became a coach. He wanted to help young players learn the game.

Netto worked with Spartak Moscow as a coach. He also helped with the Soviet national team. He taught young footballers not just about skills, but also about being fair and honest.

In total, Netto played 54 matches for the Soviet national team and scored 13 goals. These are impressive numbers for a midfielder.

Igor Netto died on March 30, 1999, in Moscow. He was 68 years old. Today, there is a street named after him in Moscow. Spartak Moscow has a special award called the "Igor Netto Prize" for fair play. People remember him as a great player and an honest sportsman.

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Glossary

**footballer** - a person who plays football (soccer)
**legend** - a very famous person that people admire
**club** - a sports team organization
**entire** - all of something; complete
**midfielder** - a player who plays in the middle of the field
**attack** - trying to score goals
**defense** - trying to stop the other team from scoring
**passing** - kicking the ball to another player on your team
**national team** - a team that represents a country
**captain** - the leader of a team
**honor** - something that makes you proud
**Olympic Games** - an international sports competition every four years
**gold medal** - first prize in a competition
**proud** - feeling very pleased about something
**championship** - an important competition to find the best team
**final** - the last and most important match
**trophy** - a prize for winning a competition
**fans** - people who support a team
**honest** - always telling the truth and doing the right thing
**referee** - the person who controls a football match
**goal** - when the ball goes into the net; one point in football
**cancel** - to say something is not valid
**unusual** - not normal; different from what usually happens
**fair play** - playing honestly and following the rules
**respect** - to admire someone
**professional** - doing something as a job
**coach** - a person who trains sports players
**skills** - abilities; things you can do well
**impressive** - very good; causing admiration
**award** - a prize given to someone
**sportsman** - a person who plays sports

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Comprehension Questions

1. When and where was Igor Netto born?
2. Which club did Netto play for during his career?
3. What position did Netto play on the field?
4. What did the Soviet Union win in 1956?
5. Which competition did the Soviet Union win in 1960?
6. What happened during the match against Uruguay in 1962?
7. Why did Netto tell the referee about the goal?
8. How many times did Spartak Moscow win the Soviet championship with Netto?
9. How many matches did Netto play for the Soviet national team?
10. What did Netto do after he stopped playing football?
11. How do people remember Netto today in Moscow?

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Vocabulary Exercise 1: Match the Words

Match the words with their definitions:

1. captain
2. honest
3. referee
4. goal
5. coach
6. midfielder
7. trophy
8. legend
9. fair play
10. respect

**Definitions:**
- a) When the ball goes into the net
- b) A person who trains players
- c) The leader of a team
- d) Always telling the truth
- e) The person who controls the match
- f) A very famous person people admire
- g) Playing honestly and following the rules
- h) A prize for winning
- i) To admire someone
- j) A player in the middle of the field

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Vocabulary Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences

Fill in the blanks with these words: **entire**, **professional**, **impressed**, **unusual**, **honor**, **fans**, **championship**, **proud**

1. Netto played for Spartak Moscow his __________ career.
2. Being team captain was a great __________ for Netto.
3. The Soviet Union won the European __________ in 1960.
4. Thousands of __________ came to watch the final match.
5. The country felt __________ when the team won gold.
6. It was __________ for a player to tell the referee the goal was wrong.
7. Netto stopped playing __________ football in 1966.
8. People were __________ by Netto's honesty.

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Vocabulary Exercise 3: True or False?

Read the sentences. Write T (true) or F (false).

1. Igor Netto played for three different clubs in his career. ____
2. Netto was a goalkeeper. ____
3. The Soviet Union won Olympic gold in 1956. ____
4. Netto told the referee a goal was correct in 1962. ____
5. Netto became a coach after he stopped playing. ____
6. Netto played 54 matches for the Soviet national team. ____
7. There is a street named after Netto in Moscow. ____
8. Netto stopped playing football when he was 40 years old. ____

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## Answers

**Comprehension Questions:**
1. September 9, 1930, in Moscow
2. Spartak Moscow
3. Midfielder
4. Olympic gold medal (in football)
5. The European Championship
6. A Soviet player scored a goal, but Netto told the referee it was not correct
7. Because he believed in being honest and playing fairly
8. Five times
9. 54 matches
10. He became a coach
11. There is a street named after him, and Spartak Moscow has the "Igor Netto Prize" for fair play

**Vocabulary Exercise 1:**
1-c, 2-d, 3-e, 4-a, 5-b, 6-j, 7-h, 8-f, 9-g, 10-i

**Vocabulary Exercise 2:**
1. entire, 2. honor, 3. championship, 4. fans, 5. proud, 6. unusual, 7. professional, 8. impressed

**Vocabulary Exercise 3:**
1-F, 2-F, 3-T, 4-F, 5-T, 6-T, 7-T, 8-F