The legendary Soviet and Russian hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov spent more than 10 years in the NHL. He won two Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. A person worthy of attention.
One of the most recognizable players on both sides of the Atlantic, Vyacheslav Fetisov was born in Moscow on April 20, 1958. His family of five lived in a small room that was separated by curtains to make an isolated living space for all of its inhabitants.
Carier start
Like many of the strongest Soviet hockey players of his era, Fetisov played for the hockey club CSKA, to which he joined in 1976, at the age of 16. Remembering his first years at the army club, Fetisov said that the pride of wearing a uniform with the CSKA logo was simply fantastic, and he even slept in club clothes for two months.
Having played several seasons with the best hockey team in the country, Fetisov has established himself as one of the most talented defenders of the Soviet Union, not only repelling almost all of the opponents' attacks, but also possessing fantastic goal potential.
In 113 official matches for the Soviet Union, Fetisov scored 42 goals, becoming one of the most legendary defenders in the world.
In the 1980s, the newly appeared Larionov-Makarov-Krutov-Kasatanov-Fetisov line shone on the international arena, thanks to which the USSR won Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1988.
Personal life
In 1982, he met his future wife, Lada, who was then married to the famous Soviet football player Vagiz Khidiyatullin. Lada’s marital status did not prevent Fetisov from winning the heart of a beautiful girl, and soon they began to live together, despite the categorical protests of Lada’s relatives.
The couple could not legitimize their relationship for almost seven years for various reasons. For the first time, Viktor Tikhonov, head coach of the USSR national team, did not allow Fetisov to leave the training camp, although wedding rings had already been bought. Then their wedding was canceled after the death of grandmother Fetisov. All preparations for this event were suspended after the tragedy turned the life of Fetisov upside down.
On a hot summer evening in 1985, Fetisov drove home with his younger brother Anatoly, a promising athlete who was named one of the best players in the 1985 European Hockey Championship. The car, which was trying to overtake the Fetisov Lada, lost control on the wet road and hit a car with players that crashed right into the street lamp.
Fetisov, who was driving, managed to survive, but his brother died on the spot, he was only 17 years old.
Vyacheslav took the blame on himself and said that he did not want to live after the tragedy that destroyed the life of his family. But his wife helped him overcome a difficult period and return to the ice.
Now Fetisov’s wife is the President of the Republic of Sport charitable foundation. She and her husband participate in projects aimed at popularizing sports in our country. Daughter of Vyacheslav Fetisov and Lada Sergius, Anastasia, born in 1990. She currently lives in the United States.
