FC Spartak Moscow (Russian: Спартак Москва) is considered to be one of the greatest football teams in Soviet and Russian history. In the early days of Soviet football, many government agencies, such as the police, army, railroads, created their own clubs. Spartak Moscow was created in 1922 as a Folk Team, one that would unite people all across the country. The team became the main competitor by 1936, when it won its first USSR title. But the popularity of the sport grew the most in the 1960s USSR. Spartak fared well, winning two championships in that decade. The 1970s were a time that many fans still remember with shivers. In 1977 Spartak was demoted into the lower league due to poor performances. The next season stadiums were still full of people, as the fans stayed with the team during its time in the lower division. Spartak Moscow came back the next year and right away reclaimed the gold, beating Dinamo Kiev.

A whole new page in the club’s history started when the USSR was divided and its championship was no more. In Russia, Spartak took the lead role and won 9 titles out of 12. Year after year it also represented Russia in the European tournaments of Champions League, UEFA Cup and Cup Winners Cup. The problems began when Starostin, the patriarch of the club, died and left the whole enterprise to Oleg Romantsev , who also was a coach. Spartak was involved in financial troubles, which resulted in corruption and the inevitable buyout of the club by a wealthy businessman, who started using the club as a money laundering scheme. He left the club in 2004 and Spartak is starting to slowly regain its old position back.

The Spartak club also has a hockey section, HC Spartak Moscow. It won the Russian championship in 1962, 1967, 1969 and 1976.

Honors

• Champion of the USSR 1936 (autumn), 1938, 1939, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1962, 1969, 1979, 1987, 1989
• Champion of Russia 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
• USSR Cup 1938/1939, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1958, 1963, 1965, 1971, 1992
• Winner of the Russian Cup 1994, 1998

European Cups

• European Champions League 1/2 Final in 1991
• Cup Winners Cup 1/2 Final in 1993
• UEFA Cup 1/2 Final in 1998

External Links

• Official website (football)
• Official website (hockey)