Spartak Legend Nikita Simonyan Has Died
Sport
Nikita Simonyan, one of the greatest figures in Soviet and Russian football, has died at the age of 99, the Russian Football Union announced.
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Simonyan, who turned 99 on October 12, remains the all-time top scorer for Spartak Moscow, scoring 160 goals between 1949 and 1959. He was also part of the USSR national team that won the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
After retiring as a player, Simonyan enjoyed an equally successful coaching career: he won the USSR championship three times, claimed the national cup four times and led the USSR national team.
For more than 30 years, Simonyan held senior positions in Soviet and Russian football — first in the USSR Football Federation and later in the Russian Football Union. He received numerous state and sports awards, including titles of Honored Master of Sport, Honored Coach of the USSR and the Orders “For Services to the Fatherland” (III and IV class).
In October 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Simonyan the title Hero of Labor for his contribution to the development and popularization of football in the country. He was also a recipient of the Olympic Order of the IOC and the FIFA Order.
After the death of French cyclist and 1948 Olympic champion Charles Cost at 101 on October 29, Simonyan became the world’s oldest living Olympic champion.
After retiring as a player, Simonyan enjoyed an equally successful coaching career: he won the USSR championship three times, claimed the national cup four times and led the USSR national team.
For more than 30 years, Simonyan held senior positions in Soviet and Russian football — first in the USSR Football Federation and later in the Russian Football Union. He received numerous state and sports awards, including titles of Honored Master of Sport, Honored Coach of the USSR and the Orders “For Services to the Fatherland” (III and IV class).
In October 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Simonyan the title Hero of Labor for his contribution to the development and popularization of football in the country. He was also a recipient of the Olympic Order of the IOC and the FIFA Order.
After the death of French cyclist and 1948 Olympic champion Charles Cost at 101 on October 29, Simonyan became the world’s oldest living Olympic champion.
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