The former goalkeeper of the USSR national team spoke about his recent meetings with coach Ignatiev.

On Wednesday, January 28, ex-goalkeeper of the USSR national team Anzor Kavazashvili spoke about his recent meetings with the former head coach of the Russian national team, Honored coach of the RSFSR Boris Ignatiev, who gave the country victory at the junior Euro 1988 and led the country's main team in the difficult 1990s.

In December 2024, he underwent major gastric surgery, and in the spring of 2025, he needed emergency treatment due to complications. Despite this, he remained close to his family and colleagues.

"I've only been calling him lately, and I've tried not to focus on his illness during the conversation. The last time we called was two months ago, on his birthday. The guys gathered at his house then: Yuri Semin arrived. He was happy," Kavazashvili said in an interview with aif.ru .

Kavazashvili noted that for Ignatiev, human qualities have always been inseparable from professional decency. According to him, Ignatiev, above all, appreciated the high level of professionalism in people, so a strong and worthy team was always formed around him.

Kavazashvili stressed that this approach created a special atmosphere of trust and cooperation, including during Ignatiev's work with the Russian national team, when relations within the headquarters developed into long—term cooperation in the RFU.

These assessments are shared by former football player Sergey Kiryakov, who noted that it was Ignatiev who opened the way for him to big-time football and remembered him as a bright man and a true professional.

The cause of Boris Ignatiev's death was the consequences of cancer. In 2024, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, a disease that often develops almost asymptomatically.

The legend of Russian football: Boris Ignatiev died

The former head coach of the Russian national football team died at the age of 85.

Boris Ignatiev's death became known on January 27. He died at the age of 86, according to the Moscow City News Agency. Last weekend, he had another operation, which was successful. Then the coach was discharged from the hospital, but he became ill at home. On January 27, at one o'clock in the morning, Ignatiev's condition deteriorated sharply. Relatives called an ambulance, but the doctors did not have time, RT reports.

Information about the date and place of the farewell will be announced later. According to Irina Ignatieva, the widow of the coach, perhaps the RFU will take care of this. According to the data kp.ru With reference to the source, farewell events will be held at one of the Moscow stadiums with the participation of representatives of the football community, and a football memorial day will also be announced in his honor.

Boris Ignatiev was born in Moscow and began his football career in 1956. Over the years, he played for Zenit Izhevsk, Dynamo Makhachkala and Stroitel Ufa. Ignatiev started coaching in 1973. He led the USSR youth national team, the Olympic teams of the USSR and Iraq, and also worked with clubs in Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and China. 360.ru . In 1996-1998, Ignatiev served as the head coach of the Russian national team, NSN notes.

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