After 12 years in the wilderness, Soviet Union returned to the World Cup their first appearance since 1970. Konstantin Beskov was the man tasked with guiding them back.
Soviet Union emerged from the first group stage and advanced to the second round, showing the quality to compete with the best.
Soviet Union showed flashes of quality in the group stage, but not enough to secure a place in the next round. Their campaign featured a narrow 1-2 loss to Brazil, a commanding 3-0 victory over New Zealand, a 2-2 draw with Scotland, a hard-fought 1-0 win against Belgium, and a 0-0 draw with Poland. Despite competing with determination in the second the group phase, Soviet Union's journey ended before the final.
2won2drawn1lost
7scored4conceded
Kept 3 clean sheets advanced to the second group stage.
Yuri Gavrilov led Soviet Union's attack with 1 goal at the 1982 World Cup. Shared the top-scorer honours with Chivadze, Baltacha, Shengelia, Blokhin, Bal and Hovhannisyan, all with 1.
Conceded in only 2 of 5 matches
The tactical mind behind Soviet Union's 1982 campaign. Leading Soviet Union at his first World Cup 2 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss under Beskov.
Konstantin Beskov's team played with a mix of attacking flair and defensive solidity, but ultimately fell short in their bid for World Cup glory. The Soviets' midfield was well-organized, while their forwards showed flashes of brilliance.
