Our conversation today is about the brilliant player of Kyiv’s Dynamo, the honored master of sports Volodymyr Muntyan.
Volodymyr MuntyanIt is believed that we, sports journalists, should not have favorite or unfavorite players. But I must admit that Muntyan is my favorite Dynamo player.
Over the years, I have written a lot about him and will continue this enjoyable endeavor. After all, Volodya is a true star of Dynamo.
Fans of the older generation know a lot about Muna (this is how they lovingly referred to him). The younger generation of fans of the Kyiv team has the opportunity to get to know this unique midfielder better.
Business Card. Born in 1946 in Kotovsk (Odesa region). When Volodymyr turned one, his family moved permanently to Kyiv. Over time, he began playing football in a children’s team of the “Bolshevik” factory. There, he was noticed by specialists from the Dynamo youth sports school because of his excellent dribbling.
Muntyan played for FC Dynamo from 1963 to 1977. He played 302 matches in the USSR championships and scored 57 goals. Seven-time (!) champion of the union, he also has 4 silver medals from these competitions. Winner of the country’s Cup (1966, 1974). Best footballer of the USSR (1969). He was listed among the “33 best players of the championship” 8 times, 6 of which were as No. 1.
Holder of the Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup (1975). He scored 6 goals in 32 matches in European tournaments.
In the national team, he played 49 matches and scored 7 goals. Participant of the 1970 World Cup.
While still a player, he graduated from the Institute of Physical Culture and the law faculty of Kyiv State University, then pursued his postgraduate studies at the Institute of International Relations.
It Started with the “Double”
Muntyan’s Dynamo career began in the reserve team. In Kyiv, the reserves were very beloved. The stands of the Dynamo stadium were always filled during their matches. Back then, fans happily went to watch the games of Volodymyr Muntyan, Serhii Krulivovsky, Anatolii Puzach, Yevhen Rudakov, and other talents.
A year later, Muntyan was already in the main lineup. At that time, the group of reserves replaced leading players who went to the World Cup in 1966 in England. In that debut season in the main team, Muntyan scored 8 goals.
The reference book “All About Football” stated: “Muntyan is one of the most technical players in the country. The Dynamo player possesses an accurate shot with both feet, a good start impulse, and wonderful coordination. Muntyan is light, mobile…”
All these qualities were demonstrated by the Kyiv native from his first matches in the famous team.
The Iconic Year of 1975
An unforgettable season for our hero, as he confessed to me, was 1975. In May, having defeated the Hungarian club Ferencváros from Budapest 3-0 in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in Basel, the Dynamo players won the club’s first European trophy in history.
Then in the fall, in the battle for the European Super Cup, the Kyiv team defeated the famous Munich “Bavaria”—the holder of the European Champions Cup—twice. The renowned opponent was overcome by the Dynamo players 1:0 (away) and 2:0 (in Kyiv). The German club included current world champions: Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Gerd Müller, and Georg Schwarzenbeck in those matches.
In the team of Valerii Lobanovskyi and Oleh Bazylevych, Muntyan’s partners were: Yevhen Rudakov, Volodymyr Troshkin, Mykhailo Fomenko, Stefan Reshko, Viktor Matviyenko, Anatolii Konkov, Leonid Buryak, Volodymyr Veremeyev, Viktor Kolotov, Volodymyr Onyshchenko, Oleg Blokhin, Valeriy Zuev, Petro Slobodian, Oleksandr Damin, Anatolii Shepel, and Viktor Maslov.
The longtime captain of the “white-blues” Viktor Kolotov said about his teammate: “There’s probably no need to elaborate on Volodymyr Muntyan—everyone knows him.” Short and clear.
Became a Successful Coach
Having completed a long and bright path as a player, Vladimir did not leave his favorite cause—he became a coach. He worked at FC Dynamo, in the Dynamo football school, coached the Ukrainian youth national team (1992−1994, 2008), and headed a number of domestic clubs: SKA (Kyiv), “Cherkasy”, “Tavriya” (Simferopol), “Obolon” (Kyiv), “Kryvbas” (Kryvyi Rih), “Vorskla” (Poltava).
He was the mentor of the army club “Kosfaba” in Madagascar and the national team of Guinea. He led this team to the final tournament of the Africa Cup (1998). He was awarded the title of honored coach of Ukraine.
We Remember and Thank
In the distant 1963, young Volodymyr Muntyan appeared in one of the groups of the Dynamo school. Since then, and until now, he has served for many years faithfully and honestly to his beloved club and Ukrainian football.
Vladimir Fedorovych currently heads the public organization “Veterans of the Football Club ‘Dynamo’ (Kyiv)”, whose motto is “We are one Dynamo family!”
Dynamo players are proud of their bright and deserved character, remember and thank him for everything he has done. And they hope for long-term cooperation.
Alexander LIPENKO for Dynamo.kiev.ua
