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This information is about the team of USSR. The USSR had seven World Cup appearances. The USSR did not enter the World Cup between 1930 and 1954. From 1958 to 1990 they had seven appearances, with a best result fourth in 1966 where they lost 2-1 to West Germany in the semifinals. They failed to qualify for the World Cup only twice, in 1974 and 1978. Their record was succeeded by Russia. See also information about Russia at the World Cup.

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Trivia

• The USSR refused to play the second-leg play-off qualifying match in Chile in 1973, as thousands earlier in the year, thousands of supporters of the Marxist Chilean President Allende were killed in the National Stadium in Santiago. The match was 'played' without any Soviet players present. The Chilean players kicked off the game and scored into the Soviet net. Then the game was abandoned and awarded to Chile. Chile qualified for the 1974 finals.
• The first substitute in World Cup finals was Soviet player Anatoly Puzach who replaced Serebrannikov in the 1970 opening match against Mexico on 31 May 1970. Before 1970, only injured players were allowed to be replaced.
• The first player to receive a yellow card was Lovchev of the USSR in the 1970 opening match against Mexico on 31 May 1970.
• Soviet referee Miroslav Stupar changed his mind and disallowed a goal by France in a finals match on 21 June 1982, after the Kuwaiti players complained that they had heard a whistle and stopped playing. Kuwaiti player Prince Fahid, the Kuwaiti FA president, walked out to the field to argue with the referee and threatened to pull out his team. The referee then reversed his goal decision. France ended up winning the match 4-1. Subsequently, the referee was suspended and the Prince was fined US$14,000.

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Related Pages

• List of all countries who have participated in the World Cup
• About Russia at the World Cup
• The Soviet Union at the European Football Championships (The Euros)
• About Sport in Russia