Valery Kharlamov: biography, personal life, wife, children, death (photo). Kharlamov Valery

Valery Kharlamov was the greatest Soviet hockey player, famous throughout the world for his unique technology games and invaluable victories for the USSR. Kharlamov’s many tournaments and well-deserved victories made him a legend of his time.

The CSKA forward made his team famous throughout the world. What was Valery Kharlamov like during his lifetime - a virtuoso legendary hockey player with an impressive biography.

Valery Kharlamov: biography, p birth, childhood and adolescence

On January 14, 1948, a child was born into a Moscow family of factory workers. The mother of the newborn Valeria was a Basque woman named Carmen. She was brought to the USSR as a teenager during civil war in Spain. Father Boris was Russian by nationality.

The young people met at the Kommunar plant, where both worked in war time. At the time of the birth of the child they were not scheduled. When the baby was three months old, the young couple formalized their relationship. A little later, little Valery gave birth to a sister, Tanya.

Valera really enjoyed playing football, but hockey became her real passion throughout her life. The main role in his passion for hockey was played by the fact that when sports hockey competitions were held at the plant, his father always took his little son with him.

Boris put the boy on skates at the age of 7 so that Small child didn’t freeze in the cold locker rooms waiting for dad to return from the game on the ice. It was then that Valery Kharlamov became a hockey player. In his further biography, only three passions can be traced: hockey, wife and children.

In 1956, the time came when refugees were given the opportunity to return to their countries and the boy, along with his mother and sister, went to Spain to his mother’s homeland. He lived there for some time and even managed to study at a Spanish school.

In 1961, after suffering from a sore throat with serious complications, the boy was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and doctors made a terrible diagnosis - a heart defect. There was no longer any question of any sport. Doctors even banned trips to children's summer camps.

But thanks to his dad, who did not agree with the doctors’ prohibitions, Valera started skating again in the hockey section at the age of 14. Mom was not aware of what was happening for a long time. The first coach in the teenager’s life was Vyacheslav Tazov. In subsequent years, the boy coped with his illnesses, and doctors declared him healthy.

Kharlamov Valery: photo of the golden troika

The young player’s talent was noticed immediately, but his small stature, unsuitable for hockey, became an obstacle to getting into the adult team. Anatoly Tarasov was the head coach of CSKA at that time and he believed that Valery Kharlamov would not become a hockey player. The athlete’s further biography (wife, children (photo)) proved the opposite.

After a brilliant game in Minsk, Valery was offered an audition for the army club. After the training camp, the young man changed physically, acquiring the shape necessary for the game.

After three daily training sessions, a series of victories and a significant number of goals scored against the enemy, the head coach admitted that Kharlamov is a virtuoso, talented player on the ice.

In 1968, the talented CSKA forward went to defend the country's honor in the fight against the Canadians. Two games were played in two days and after that a golden trio appeared in Soviet hockey: Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov. This was the legendary basis of our team, the pride of Soviet coaches. Guys, how the best players were taken to the Stockholm championship in 1969.

There are some discrepancies in the sources regarding the first goal Kharlamov scored in this championship. The first opinion says that the striker scored his first goal for the Americans in the 38th minute. According to the second version, the first goal was scored in the game with the Swedes, and not with the Americans. After a series of impressive games in 1969, Kharlamov’s team became the world champion, and the entire legendary trio were awarded the title of Honored Masters of Sports.

These three young talented people created a magnificent trio on the ice, whose play was radically different from all other teams with its power moves and virtuoso play. The guys complemented each other’s play and proved their professionalism every time they went on the ice. Valery Kharlamov became the first hockey player to take the game to a new level. His biography became an incentive for generations, and the cause of death became a sorrow for the entire Soviet people.

Olympian

In 1970, Kharlamov was considered one of the most professional players in hockey. In 1971, he was the country's top scorer with a record number of goals scored against the enemy. At the world championship with the Swedes, Kharlamov led the team to victory with his turning point.

At the Olympic tournament, the Soviet team won five games and tied one game. The team took first Olympic place. The second victory at the Olympic Games came to Valery in 1976 in Innsbruck and was the last for the hockey player. In April of the same year, Kharlamov became the best striker in the world championship.

Games with Canadians

In 1975, Soviet hockey players went to Canada to play 4 games. The fans gave a standing ovation to the legendary Soviet player. The Canadian players did not play a completely fair game, using prohibited forceful techniques.

As a result, our team lost the championship to the ice owners, although Valery Kharlamov did everything to win. In his biography, his professional development occurred thanks to his parents.

Willpower, the desire to win - this was in the talented scorer's blood.

Personal life and children

In 1975, Kharlamov’s son Sasha was born, and in 1976 the young successful hockey player tied the knot with Irina Smirnova, Sasha’s mother. At that time, Irina was 19 years old. Later, the girl gave birth to her chosen one another daughter, Begonita. The young family was given a three-room apartment.

First accident

In the year when Valery’s son was born, a tragedy occurred - the Kharlamovs were in a car accident. Irina was not injured, but Valery had multiple fractures, a concussion and bruises. Doctors forbade the guy to play, but thanks to his persistence and love of hockey, he began to develop his body while still in the ward and began to recover.

By the end of the year, Valery scored his first goal after rehabilitation in a game against Krylia Sovetov. Valery Kharlamov, hockey player from capital letters Even the opponents and their fans applauded. His wife played an important role in his biography. She was reliable faithful companion until the end.

End of career and death of a hockey player

In 1981, Kharlamov planned to end his career and remain as a coach in order to raise future athletes. Having won for the 11th time with CSKA, he was awarded the European Champions Cup. But after a serious conversation with the coach, Kharlamov agreed that he physical form did not allow him to play with the Canadians in the upcoming tournament. Remaining in Moscow, after a short period of time, the hockey player died in an accident.

All the passengers traveling in the car died: Valery, his wife and her cousin. The hockey player left behind two small children. At the time of his death he was only 33 years old. On August 31, 1981, a funeral took place at the Kuntsevo cemetery. Thousands of people from all over the USSR came to say goodbye to the great striker. His team's players were not at the funeral because they were in Canada. They dedicated their victory to the legendary scorer, beating the Canadians 8:1.

After the death of Valery Kharlamov, a great hockey player with an impressive biography, his children were not left alone. Valery's associates helped Sasha become a professional hockey player. Begonita also tried herself in professional sports, namely rhythmic gymnastics. The girl achieved the title of master of sports. Valery’s mother died in 1987, and his father passed away in 2010.

Soon the legendary Soviet hockey player, two-time Olympic and eight-time world champion Valery Kharlamov would have turned 65 years old. The sports world will celebrate this date widely; the children of the great striker, Alexander and Begonita Kharlamov, will, of course, be invited to the ceremony. What was their fate, who helped the orphaned in early childhood the children and who took up their upbringing, the son of a famous athlete told our reporter.

Alexander Valerievich agreed to the meeting immediately, although he warned that he had few childhood memories associated with his parents. After all, fate gave him only five happy years with his mom and dad. Alexander’s voice on the telephone seems calm, but even today, 32 years later, it is difficult for him to remember the tragedy that turned his whole life upside down.

We agreed with Alexander Valerievich to meet in a cafe. As soon as he entered, I recognized him: an athletic figure, a confident step, only athletes can walk like that. He smiled and became even more like his father, Valery Kharlamov. Three years ago, Alexander left coaching for business, but still finds time for his favorite game of hockey.

– Nowadays, charity games of veterans’ teams are often held. For example, in the summer there was a series of traditional games where famous hockey players Kovalchuk, Malkin, and this year Morozov played. Of the pop stars, the brightest hockey fan is Butman. During breaks, Igor even plays the saxophone. Politicians also speak: Shoigu, Kudrin, Dvorkovich. We all communicate calmly in the locker room - everyone is equal on the ice. At first I thought that Alexey Kudrin - closed person, but we talked closer, and I saw that he was cheerful and very wonderful. This was not the first time we played, so we even became friends.

My father was also friends with artists and singers, for example, I have known Joseph Davydovich Kobzon all my adult life. Sometimes we call each other and meet. I recently congratulated him on his anniversary: ​​we agreed, met in his office, and talked. My grandmother said that when my parents died, there were a lot of organizational problems. The 80s were a time of shortage, and Joseph Davydovich helped erect a monument to his father and mother. Now there is a kind of monument to his father in Toronto.

In May 2005, I was presented with a Hall of Fame jacket because my dad, Valery Kharlamov, was inducted into the National Hockey League Hall of Fame. Only six Russians received this honor. The induction ceremony into the Hall of Fame takes place over three days and is reminiscent of the Oscars, Begonita’s husband Dmitry and I were in tails, my wife Victoria and Begonita were in evening dresses. Solemn and beautiful. At the stand dedicated to my father, we gave away several of my father’s personal belongings – his jersey, gloves, helmet, photographs.

– Alexander Valerievich, the famous Kharlamov is the idol of millions today, he is known and remembered as a great hockey player. What kind of man, father, was he?

– Dad, like all athletes, spent more time at training camps: he had to train a lot, improve, and keep in shape. At the base they had a strict regime and special food. Sports, especially ones like hockey, require a lot of effort, perseverance, and time. And when dad came home for the weekend, it was a holiday for the family! Begonita and I ran out into the corridor to meet him, he threw me up to the ceiling, and took my little sister in his arms.

Dad raised us differently. Me as a future man. He treated Begonita more tenderly, she is a girl. By the way, dad chose his sister’s name himself. When I was born, my grandmother gave me a name. And the father said that he would name the girl himself. Do you know there is such a flower - begonia? So he chose such an unusual Spanish name for his daughter, because his grandmother was from Spain, she was brought here in 1937, and that’s how she met her grandfather.

In general, I don’t remember much about my father; he was little. On the ice he was the star and pride of Soviet hockey, but in life he was ordinary - very cheerful. I remember more from childhood summer rest. Dad had a vacation in July, we all went to the dacha together. And on weekends we went for a walk. We often walked at VDNKh, fortunately we lived nearby, at the Shcherbakovskaya metro station, which is now called Alekseevskaya. My mother and I also went to my father’s home games, because after the match, until the hockey players left for the base again, there was one of the few opportunities to approach my father and talk. So we didn’t miss the games that took place in Moscow. Then dad left for work, and my mother, grandmother and sister and I went home. And so on until the next game.

All international games we watched on TV. True, my father often called my mother (there were no mobile phones then, but there was a landline phone at the base), and the parents talked for a long time, dad was aware of all the events at home. At home there was always my father’s uniform, skates, and hockey sticks, which aroused my special interest, and at the age of three I got my first skates.

My sister also fell in love with hockey, Begonita and I organized our own home competitions at home - with a puck, sticks, everything as it should be. We lived on Mira Avenue, and in our yard we had a hockey rink, boys were constantly hanging around there, playing hockey. And then one day, friends from the team came to visit my father, and the world-famous athletes went out to play in the yard. What started here!

A huge crowd of people gathered, adults and children ran home to get their skates, because not everyone gets the chance to shoot the puck with such legendary hockey players as Kharlamov and Krutov! My father never had star fever; he always communicated as equals. For example, in the summer, on Saturday and Sunday, ordinary men played football, and my father also got ready and went to the field.

Many of our neighbors still remember our father today. kind words. When he was at home, a lot of people always came to us. My father loved to cook himself, cooked meat perfectly, and often treated guests. In our house there were not only famous athletes, but also popular artists - Kobzon, Vinokur, Leshchenko. My father met them when there were international games and Soviet pop stars supported the national team.

Now this practice also exists; a support group representing the “Russian House” travels with the Olympians. I think even now athletes and artists meet there and become strong friends. So dad was friends with Joseph Davydovich, Lev Valerianovich. We even sometimes went on vacation somewhere to the south together. It was always fun and noisy in our house, dad and mom loved to receive guests...

Trouble came to the house on Thursday, August 27, 1981. Then it will become known that the accident, which claimed the lives of three people, happened at seven o’clock in the morning on the 74th km of Leningradskoye Highway. The Kharlamovs were returning from the dacha; Irina, Valery’s wife, was driving the Volga. On a road slippery from the rain, the car drifted into the oncoming lane, the car crashed into a truck and rolled into a ditch. Irina, Valery and Irina’s cousin Sergei Ivanov died on the spot. They say that the day before the accident, the asphalt in this area was changed. Where the new coating ended, a five-centimeter high protrusion formed, which became the cause of the tragedy.

The memorial service was held on August 31 at the CSKA Weightlifting Palace. Thousands of people came to say goodbye to the dead. The players of the USSR national team were not able to attend the funeral: the team was in Winnipeg. In memory of their friend, the hockey players decided to win the Canada Cup at all costs. The athletes kept this promise, beating the Canadians 8:1 in the final.

But no victories could return the parents to the Kharlamovs’ young children. The kids didn’t even understand that they were orphaned...

– At that time I was five years old, run three. When our parents died, our grandmother, my mother’s mother, Nina Vasilievna Smirnova, began to raise us, her sisters helped her. And of course, the entire CSKA team took part, but due to the busy schedule of games, the athletes, of course, could not educate us.

Sometimes Alexey Kasatonov, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Vladimir Krutov came to visit. They also helped financially, bringing things from trips; at that time it was difficult to find children’s clothing. And the entire burden of responsibility fell on the shoulders of the grandmothers. And then another tragedy happened - five years after the death of our parents, our beloved grandmother, my father’s mother, also died. She could not cope with the loss of her son, and it was as if we were orphaned for the second time. And Nina Vasilyevna still lives with Begonita, and I wish her health with all my heart. They are still in the same apartment where my sister and I spent our childhood, where we once lived, in that happy place far away, our Friendly family.

– Your love for hockey has lasted throughout your life. Where did you play?

– First at the CSKA children’s and youth sports school, then I was invited to play in America. I went, lived there for about six years, played in the NHL with the Washington Capitals. But when the contract ended, he did not renew it and returned home. He was a player in the capital Dynamo, CSKA, and also in Novokuznetsk Metallurg. Then he tried himself as the general manager of the Vetra hockey club in Vilnius. He was also a coach at the Vityaz club in Chekhov. And two years ago he became chairman of the executive committee of the trade union of hockey players and coaches.

Begonita was a sickly child since childhood, so figure skating didn’t work out. And her grandmother took her to rhythmic gymnastics, where my sister became a master of sports and competed in small competitions. After school, she entered a sports institute and studied to be a coach. When I was in America, my sister came to visit me on vacation. We were bored, and I wanted to see that Begonita was okay. One time my grandmother also visited me. By the way, my sister didn’t just sit at home, but even studied at language school.

– Athletes have absolutely no time to organize their personal lives.

– Our Begonita is beautiful, bright, like her mother, she has always been a success. And one fine day she married Dmitry, gave birth to two beautiful girls- Daria and Anna. And she devoted herself entirely to her family. I really love coming to their hospitable home and, of course, I enjoy communicating with my nieces. I love them very much.

I was also lucky, I managed to meet my future wife still in his youth. We knew Vika for a long time, but did not communicate closely. We have a mutual friend whose birthday party we met every summer. This happened for several years, and then somehow it happened that Vika and I noticed each other. And so, slowly, little by little, we got to the wedding. I was 22, my bride was 19 years old. And a year later we had a son, whose name we didn’t even think about; he was named after his father - Valery. He is now 14 years old, he doesn’t play professional hockey, but he goes to the gym, goes swimming, and this year he graduates from music school in guitar class.

By the way, my dad also really loved music, but he didn’t play, he listened. He brought back vinyl records from every trip, and his large collection is still completely intact. My father listened to his favorite tunes both at home and in the car. He didn’t play himself, but he wanted to, he just didn’t have time to study. After all, dad dedicated his entire life to hockey.

The world-famous hockey player, eight-time USSR champion Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is still of interest to thousands of people, was born in Moscow in 1948, on the night of January 13-14, right in the car taking his mother to the maternity hospital.

Childhood, family

Kharlamov's father Boris Sergeevich worked at the Kommunar plant as a mechanic. Mom Carmen Orive-Abad, a Spanish national, who came to the USSR at the age of twelve along with other refugees, worked at the same enterprise as a revolver turner. At the time of the birth of their son, Boris and Carmen were not yet married and got married only three months later. Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is full of unexpected events, had a younger sister Tatyana.

Having accompanied his wife and newly born son Valery to the hospital, Boris Sergeevich went home with the mother's belongings. At that distant time, police patrols often went around the areas under their control to maintain order and peace on the city streets. A young man with a bundle in his hand, walking down the street at night, seemed suspicious to the police, and they asked him to go to the police station. Valery's father was even happy about this - there was a lot of frost at night in mid-January. And the department is warm. Having told the police officers on duty the good news that his son Valery was born, treated everyone to shag and warmed up, Boris Sergeevich went home.

weak child

The biography of hockey player Valery Kharlamov, a world-famous athlete, is amazing, because he was born a weak child with low weight. This is understandable: with meager rationed meals, practically without vitamins, it was difficult to count on good health. At first, his family lived in a dormitory: three families lived in a large room, divided into four parts by plywood partitions. The conditions were Spartan, but they lived amicably and cheerfully.

Serious diagnosis

Due to insufficient and monotonous nutrition, not very favorable conditions residence and a far from mild climate, Valery Kharlamov, whose biography surprises with the number of ups and downs, was often sick. After another sore throat, which occurred in March 1961 and gave complications to other organs, doctors discovered he had a heart defect and forbade the boy from any physical activity, including any sports activities, attending physical education classes at school, and in the summer - a pioneer camp. Even swimming was banned.

Introduction to hockey

Despite doctors' warnings that physical activity Valery Kharlamov, whose biography is closely connected with sports, may die; in the summer of 1962, his father, who was himself fond of playing hockey, took him to the summer skating rink that had just opened on Leningradsky Prospekt. At that time, boys (one year younger than Valery) were being recruited for the hockey section. Valery was naturally skinny, so no one thought that he might be a year older than the guys who were accepted then. He, like several other boys, was accepted by the second coach of CSKA, Boris Pavlovich Kulagin. And when it was discovered that Valery was of the wrong age, it was too late to expel him, because with his perseverance and hard work he managed to win the sympathy and trust of the coaches. Since then, hockey has become a part of Valery’s life, and his entire other life has been subject to his training regimen.

CSKA School

From the age of fourteen, Valery began to successfully train at the CSKA hockey school, and from the age of nineteen - in the main team of the club. Kharlamov was distinguished by his persistence, stubborn character, and will to win. He always tried to achieve high results, never complained or whined. And he could cry not when he was physically hurt, but when the referee first sent him off the field for two minutes, and he had to leave the team in the minority to fight with their opponents.

Chebarkul "Star"

For enough short term Kharlamov became one of the best youth players sports school CSKA. But the main one, Anatoly Vladimirovich Tarasov, did not have high hopes for Valery. Mostly because of his vertically challenged. After all, at that time all the famous world hockey champions, including the legendary Canadian athletes, were much taller and more powerful. Because of this, hockey player Kharlamov was sent to the second league in 1966, to the army team of the Sverdlovsk Military District - the Chebarkul Zvezda. But as you know, talent will find its way everywhere. While in Chebarkuli and playing in a team there, first-class player Kharlamov managed to score 34 goals against opponents in one season.

Through the team coach, Moscow coaches also learned about his success. In the spring, Kulagin went to the city of Kalinin, where Kharlamov’s team played, and personally witnessed the success of the young athlete. All that remained was to convince the great Tarasov to transfer the talented athlete to the main team of CSKA, since he continued to doubt the advisability of such a step. In the summer of 1967, this was successful, and 19-year-old hockey player Valery Kharlamov again found himself in Moscow, from where he and the team were sent to a training base in the city of Kudeptstu.

The birth of the legendary troika

The consequence of this was that the CSKA team, for which hockey player Valery Kharlamov played, became the champion at the 1967-1968 national championship. At the same time, the famous hockey troika Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov appeared, as part of which Valery achieved the highest results. The troika used a strong style and knew how to interact in the game in such a way that the team achieved the highest results. Kharlamov himself in 1969, at twenty summer age, became the youngest world champion in the Soviet Union. Valery knew how to play beautifully, which won and captivated millions of fans. The goalkeepers trembled when he entered the ice, and the spectators wildly admired his play.

Best national player

In 1971, Kharlamov became the top scorer, scoring 40 goals against opponents, and in 1972, the best player of the tournament as part of the USSR national team, scoring 9 goals. In the same year, Olympic gold was won. From that time on, Valery was considered the best hockey player in all of Europe, becoming the USSR champion four times, the world champion three times and the European champion twice. In the fall, he went as part of the team to conquer North America.

"Invincible" Canadians

At this time, in September 1972, a series of matches between the national teams of the USSR and Canada began on the ice of the Montreal Forum. Residents of the North American continent did not doubt for a single moment that their compatriots would win all eight games, and by a huge margin. And what a surprise it was when, in the first match, the Soviet hockey players won with a crushing score of 7:3. This was a shock for Canadian hockey players. Kharlamov distinguished himself here with his unique style of play and scored two goals, later called masterpieces. After this, he was unconditionally recognized as the best player in the Soviet team. Valery became one of the key players of the USSR team. This led to the fact that after the match he was offered to move to the Canadian team, promising a million dollars for this. Kharlamov tried to laugh it off, saying that he wouldn’t go anywhere without his troika. The Canadians did not understand the joke and agreed to accept all three players, including Petrov and Mikhailov. But it was not that time - the players remained in their previous team.

Recognition of professionals

The Canadian big and powerful players were especially angry and surprised by Valery, since he was much smaller than them and more frail. They nicknamed him “Baby” among themselves and were sincerely surprised at his resourcefulness and perseverance. But they also recognized his skill and talent - of all the European hockey players, he became the first and only one whose portrait hangs on the stand of the Museum of Hockey Fame in Toronto.

Of course, Kharlamov was the most beloved hockey player in his native country - even fans of other teams admired him.

Fateful meeting

One evening, the guys from the hockey team, including Valery Kharlamov, went to a local restaurant to celebrate another victory. In the next room of the same restaurant, a group of young people were walking - they were celebrating the birthday of one of the girls. When the music started playing, the hockey players began to invite the girls from this company to dance. And Kharlamov invited a girl named Irina. She mistook a young short black-haired guy in a cap for a car driver, a taxi driver, but still agreed to dance. Valery did not leave Irina’s side all evening, and at the end he offered to take her home by car. Irina confirmed her assumption about Valery’s profession, getting into the new Volga with the number 00-17 MMB.

At home, as befits a decent girl, she told everything to her mother Nina Vasilyevna. Nina Vasilievna was skeptical and distrustful of her daughter’s new acquaintance and wanted to follow him to find out what he was like. Irina had already been dating Kharlamov for several weeks when her mother persuaded her to show him at least from afar. But this time we weren’t able to meet each other. And when Nina Vasilyevna found out who her daughter’s boyfriend was, she calmed down a little - after all, not some driver, but a famous athlete.

Birth of first child

In 1976, the son of Valery Kharlamov and Irina was born. They named him Alexander, and in the future he will follow in his father’s footsteps. A little later, the couple had a daughter, Begonita. During the same period, Valery became a six-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion.

It is surprising that the celebrity’s parents have never met their daughter-in-law or seen their grandson, and he has not been officially introduced to Irina’s mother, despite the fact that the young people have lived together for so long. Friends got involved married couple, and one day on March 8th, the son of Valery Kharlamov and Irina, through their efforts, got to Valery’s parents to meet. And after that, Valery went to Irina’s mother for an official introduction.

Accident

In the spring of the same year, Valery Kharlamov and his wife were in a car accident. The accident occurred in May. The day before, Irina called Nina Vasilievna and asked her to babysit the baby while they went to visit. But when Nina Vasilievna did not wait for the call at the agreed hour, she thought that someone else would be the nanny. And only after some time she learned from mutual friends that Valery and Irina crashed in a car. They were driving home late in the evening, and Valery lost control of the car. The car was smashed to pieces and could not be restored. Valery received numerous broken legs, ribs and a concussion. Valery Kharlamov's wife was also injured. But it helped that witnesses to the accident immediately called " ambulance" and the victims were immediately taken to the hospital.

The athlete spent two months in the hospital before taking his first independent step after the illness. The children of Valery Kharlamov at that moment were under the supervision of his mother. His teammates brought a machine to his room so he could exercise and keep his muscles toned. Doctors gave disappointing prognoses and doubted whether he would be able to walk normally, let alone play. This was in August. Late autumn That same year, Kharlamov took to the ice again. And six months after the accident I began to train fully.

Despite all the forecasts

There were many skeptics as to whether Kharlamov could become the same player as before. But, despite the disappointing forecasts of the doctors and their recommendations to forget about hockey, Valery did the impossible - in the first game with Krylya Sovetov he showed his high class. And in 1977, as part of the CSKA team, hockey player Kharlamov became a seven-time USSR champion and still remained one of the top scorers. Throughout my fifteen years sports career he played in 438 matches for the CSKA club and scored 293 goals. 123 matches were played for the USSR national team at the World Championships and Olympic Games, and 89 goals were scored.

At that time, there were rumors about the strict nature of the team coach Anatoly Tarasov and the iron discipline in the training of the famous club. But the new coach who came to the club in 1977 dispelled them, saying that there was no discipline there, even the most basic in terms of the requirements accepted in sports. It’s just that everyone treated their duties and training conscientiously and responsibly. And if necessary, they knew how to show heroism.

Untimely loss

On August 26, 1981, Valery Kharlamov died on the Leningradskoye Highway. The accident occurred while his wife Irina was driving the car. She also died a few hours later in the hospital. The death of Valery Kharlamov was a tragedy for millions of his fans. Millions of admirers of his talent around the world mourned together with their family and friends. And from that moment on, Valery Kharlamov’s children were raised by his parents. Until now, they are actively invited to various programs to talk about their legendary father.

The funeral of Valery Kharlamov took place a few days later. Ten years later, a monument was erected at the site of his death.

The star legend of domestic and world hockey is Valery Kharlamov. A film about his life, success and fame was released in 2013. Many sports facilities are named after him.

The life of a great hockey player: victories, struggle and sincere love for hockey.

In the Russian national hockey team and the CSKA team, not a single player has the right to go on the ice wearing number 17. It is forever assigned to the legend of Soviet and world sports Valery Borisovich Kharlamov. An exception was made only for the son of the great hockey player, Alexander. In this way, modern athletes pay tribute to the memory of a great man, the work and passion of his life.

They say that to become a champion you need to be born one. But even the best physical data, gifted by nature, without character, desire and passion for one’s life’s work cannot guarantee success in sports. Sometimes the strongest and most recognized favorites are the first to leave the race due to weakness of spirit.

The fire that burns inside, the heart that begins to beat faster just from the thought and desire to go out on the ice and start the game, cannot help but do its job, and in the end, cannot help but lead to victory. Character determines a person's destiny. The biography of Valery Kharlamov is direct proof of this.

Family starts everything

Future legend No. 17 was born into a family of Soviet workers, which was distinguished from thousands of the same simple cells of society by only one circumstance. Mom Carmen Orive-Abad, or simply Begonia for the family, was from Spain.

Watch the video: "Life Story". Valery Kharlamov

It was the hot Spanish blood that probably determined the champion character of her son Valery. Temperament, ardor and at the same time reliability, a sense of comradeship with teammates, as well as almost musical virtuosity and constant improvisation - these are the qualities that all coaches noted in Valery Kharlamov. But first things first.

In 1937, along with refugees after the civil war, a little Bascon girl from her hometown of Bilbao came to the USSR. She grew up and, like most of her peers at that time, went to work at a factory. A young revolver turner joined the ranks of the Moscow Kommunar workers. At the same enterprise she met her fate - Boris Sergeevich Kharlamov. He was a test mechanic.

The couple could not get married right away, since Begonia did not have necessary documents. The marriage was registered only after the birth common son. On the night of January 13-14, a boy was born - Valery, the name was given in honor of the famous pilot Chkalov. Later, a daughter, Tatyana, also appeared in the family.

The hard way to hockey

Like all boys, Valera Kharlamov loved to play... football. And he did it well. Already a star on the ice, he played football well; Kharlamov’s favorite team was the Moscow Torpedo, with one of whose players, Vadim Nikonov, he was friends and studied together at the institute.

Valera Kharlamov became acquainted with hockey at the age of seven, when he first started skating. His father played Russian hockey for the factory team and often took his son with him. To keep the boy from freezing in the locker rooms, his father put him on skates. But these classes could not be called regular. In addition, in 1956 the Spaniards could return to their homeland. And Valera and his mother went to Bilbao and lived there for several months, went to school and most likely didn’t even remember about ice.

At the age of 13, Kharlamov suffered from a sore throat, which gave complications to internal organs. Heart disease and the diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease are not compatible with sports; even ordinary physical education classes at school were contraindicated. You can’t run around in the yard, lift heavy things, or pioneer camp could also be forgotten.

Father, Boris Kharlamov, could not deprive his son of an active childhood, so secretly from his mother in 1962, they went to enroll in the hockey section. Valera was not suitable in age, but they managed to mislead Boris Kulagin, the second coach of CSKA, and Kharlamov was accepted into Vyacheslav Tazov’s group.

Later, the deception was discovered, but the coaching staff liked little Valery so much that they did not expel him from the section, but transferred him to the coach, the head of the school, Andrei Starovoitov. He studied under his leadership for four years. In parallel with training, once every three months the father took his son to the Morozov hospital for examinations. After some time, doctors declared Valery healthy, and now he could play hockey seriously. From that moment on, the biography of Valery Kharlamov, a hockey player, began.

The road to success

The sympathies of the coaches were usually always on the side of Kharlamov, so the talented boy was recommended for the adult squad of the CSKA team. Anatoly Tarasov, the team's head coach, did not share the enthusiasm of his colleagues. The army club mentor did not see any serious potential. And his short height, by hockey standards - 168 cm - did not work in the young man’s favor.

He was able to truly shine and be remembered in the final tournament of the 1967 USSR Junior Championship. Unconventional thinking on the ice, improvisation, hard work and playing for results led to the fact that young Kharlamov was invited to play for CSKA right at the station.

Gradually, Valery Kharlamov got closer to the main lineup, but was unable to distinguish himself in the games. Therefore, almost immediately after the start of the season, he was transferred to Chebarkul Zvezda, an army team in the second league, to improve his dribbling techniques and develop playing independence. Meanwhile, the head coach of Zvezda received personal instructions from Tarasov: training for Kharlamov should be 3 times a week, and in calendar matches, 70 percent of the playing time, regardless of the course of the match, Valery should have been on the ice.

Along with Kharlamov, Alexander Gusev, a young CSKA defender, was also “committed” to the second league club. A couple of newcomers quickly joined the team; Kharlamov was especially loved by local viewers. In March 1968, the Zvezda club received a promotion. The day after last game Valery Kharlamov returned back to Moscow. The entire time he played for the Chebarkul club, Tarasova was aware of the achievements of the future legend of Soviet hockey.

He finally made it into the main team only in the next season. In October 1968, the Kharlamov-Mikhailov-Petrov trio began to take to the ice.

From a newcomer to the national team to a recognized master

Successful games allowed the star trio Mikhailov - Petrov - Kharlamov to gain a foothold in the main roster of the USSR national hockey team. But there was still time before truly stellar success, and in the meantime there were disappointments. Valery Kharlamov and goalkeeper Viktor Zinger were officially blamed for the defeat of the Soviet team in the 1969 game with the Czechoslovak national team. In that match right after scored a goal he gave the puck to the opponent in his own zone, which allowed the opponent to take the goal of the USSR national team.

After this accusation, no special sanctions followed, because The USSR national team became the world champion, the team came out on top thanks to the best goal difference. After the tournament, each of the three became an Honored Master of Sports. From this moment begins the golden page of the biography of Valery Kharlamov, whose photos instantly scattered across 1/6 of the earth. The new title, received without the knowledge of Anatoly Tarasov, and excessive popularity did not receive the approval of the coach, and even caused indignation. By the way, all this time Kharlamov played under number 12. In the national team under number 17, Valery only took to the ice at the World Cup in 1970.

The flourishing of Kharlamov’s hockey career would have been impossible without his colleagues in the trio. Their interaction on the set was reminiscent of a magical performance. Each of the partners intuitively felt what his comrades would do in this moment how everyone will react to a change in the situation on the ice, how they will play together in a given game situation. It seemed that just a glance was enough for them to make the only right decision for everyone. They were the first in the Soviet Union to play power hockey.

But even with other players, Valery Kharlamov quickly found mutual language. Proof of this were the successful games at the tournaments preceding the Olympiad. The new link of Vikulov-Firsov-Kharlamov used new tactical placement techniques. At the Olympic Games, the Soviet Union team won gold medals, and Valery Kharlamov was named top scorer. Kharlamov received his second and last Olympic gold in Innsbruck.

The Great Rivalry in World Hockey

Although sport has always been outside of politics, the confrontation between the superpowers could not but affect this, one of the most peaceful activities of humanity. The founders of this sport, the Canadians, have always been considered recognized professionals in hockey. Soviet hockey players were the first to try to challenge this leadership.

The whole world watched the Canada-USSR super series. The first of which took place in 1972. The first games took place on Canadian ice, it was this series that became one of the successful ones for Valery Kharlamov. For the national team it ended with two victories (in the first match with a score of 7:3 and in the last -5:3), one loss and a draw.

During the Moscow series, opponent Bobby Clarke, on the instructions of the Canadian coach, severely injured the number 17 of the Soviet team. Kharlamov had an injured ankle. Having missed one game, he still took to the ice in the last match of the series and made an assist, but victory in that game, as in the entire super series, remained with the Canadians. It was after these games that the whole shit decided - there are no better hockey players in the world than Kharlamov.

The 1974 USSR-Canada Super Series added a video to Valery Kharlamov’s biography with two truly masterpiece goals. In all eight games, he hit the opponents' goal only twice, but even his opponents recognized the virtuosity and genius of these moments. During a game in Quebec, Kharlamov slipped right between two defenders, real millstones, Canadians Tremblay and Stapleton, and scored a goal. Journalists called this goal a “gourmet goal.”

The next time, Kharlamov spectacularly hit the opponent’s goal in Moscow; with his trademark feints, he beat three Canadian hockey players at once and went one-on-one with the goalkeeper, whom he sent with a deceptive maneuver to the corner opposite to the shot, and scored a goal.

In that game, as in the entire series as a whole, a real hunt was announced for Kharlamov; at the slightest opportunity, the opponents sought to incapacitate the “arrogant upstart.” Other national team players also came under attack. After that game, Rick Lay came to the Soviet hockey players for training, who was the first to hit Kharlamov, thus giving the command to his colleagues to start a dirty game, and publicly apologized for unsportsmanlike behavior.

The following year, in America and Canada, during matches between CSKA and NHL teams, Kharlamov was greeted by everyone as a superstar with a long standing ovation, for which he thanked his fans beautiful game and masterful goals. But the opponents did not forget about dirty tricks and strong blows towards the famous hockey player.

Life outside of hockey, return to the ice

The personal life of legend number 17 was also successful. His chosen one was 19-year-old Irina Smirnova, who later gave birth to Kharlamov’s son Alexander and daughter Begonita. The family lived in their own apartment on Mira Avenue, and it seemed that there were no signs of trouble.

But in May 1976, the family, returning from guests late in the evening, had an accident. Valery was driving and tried to overtake the truck, but in the oncoming traffic he almost collided with a taxi car. Kharlamov turned sharply to the left, drove off the road and crashed into a pole.

No one except the hockey player himself, who received a serious comminuted fracture right leg, a concussion, numerous bruises and two broken ribs, but was not injured in that accident. Continuing a career in professional sports became questionable; few doctors hoped for successful rehabilitation. However, already 2 months after the operation at the Main Military Hospital, Kharlamov took his first steps. Thus began the long return to the ice.

Exhausting physical exercise and a great desire to play my favorite hockey, as well as training with children's teams at the skating rink, allowed me to get in good shape to participate in matches of a serious level. Kharlamov “made his debut” in a game against the Krylia Sovetov team.

Before the start of the match, a CSKA doctor came into the Krylia locker room and asked not to use forceful techniques against the not yet fully strengthened Kharlamov. The game went as smoothly as possible. In that match, Valery, with the help of his trio partners Mikhailov and Petrov, was able to score one goal, earning an ovation from the stands. The athlete spent 2 periods on the ice, the CSKA team won.

Kharlamov himself later recalled that in this game he felt the guardianship of not only his own team, but also his opponents. This touched him so much that he could hardly hold back his tears. After this, the next stage in his career began, albeit not so successful for the team (3rd place at the World Cup in Vienna), but very important for Kharlamov himself. Already with the new national team coach Viktor Tikhonov, two world championships in 78-79 and the Challenge Cup were won.

But the main start of this period - the 1980 Olympics - did not bring gold to the team. After this, reproaches rained down on the star trio, and then they even suggested ending their careers. But the entire team needed the invaluable experience of the star hockey player, and he did not skimp and helped the beginning players as best he could, some of them even lived at his home.

Farewell to big sport and tragic death

Valery Kharlamov decided that the 81/82 season would be his final one, after which he would become a children's coach. The hockey player spent this season in excellent shape: another title USSR champion, European Champions Cup, title of best striker. After that, he hoped that Tikhonov would take him to the super series with Canada. As a result, Valery Kharlamov remained depressed in Moscow, and a few days later he died in a traffic accident.

Death overtook the great hockey player at 7 am on August 27, 1981. Irina was driving the car returning to Moscow from the village of Pokrovka, where the Kharlamovs had a dacha. The hockey player's wife lost control on the slippery road and crashed into a ZIL. Everyone traveling in the car: Kharlamov, his wife and her cousin died on the spot.

Everyone said goodbye to the world hockey legend. The national team players dedicated their victory in the Canada Cup to the memory of Valery Kharlamov. And number 17 was forever assigned to the great hockey player

Watch the video: In memory of Valery Kharlamov.

Valery Kharlamov is one of the most prominent representatives of a remarkable generation in Soviet hockey, which in the seventies achieved many outstanding victories in a variety of tournaments. In that legendary USSR national team, our today's hero played one of the central roles, because it was his goals and assists that brought success and glory to the team. As eyewitnesses say, on the hockey rink Valery Kharlamov seemed like a real alien.

His feints, masterly skating, and well-placed throw became the key to victory for the USSR national team in many matches. That is why today Valery Kharlamov is called a legend of Soviet hockey and one of the brightest players of his generation. And it’s hard to disagree with this.

Early years, childhood and family of Valery Kharlamov

Valery Kharlamov was born in Moscow on the night of January 13-14, 1948. His father, Boris Sergeevich, worked as a test mechanic at the Kommunar city plant. He was Russian by nationality. Unlike the mother of our today's hero, Carmen Orive-Abad, who by origin belonged to the Basque people. Her parents were from Bilbao, and she herself ended up in the Soviet Union during the Spanish Civil War. In Moscow, Carmen worked at the same Kommunar plant where she worked. future husband, however, unlike him, she performed the duties of a revolver turner.

It is quite remarkable that the legendary hockey player was born when his parents were not yet married. Only three months after the birth of her son, his mother received a citizen’s passport Soviet Union and was able to officially legitimize the relationship with the father of her child.

Some time later, the Kharlamov family also saw the birth of younger sister our today's hero is Tatyana.

Returning to the personality of Valery Kharlamov himself, we note that our today’s hero began playing hockey from the very early years. The thing is that his father was also fond of this sport and even participated in city competitions as part of the factory team. Valera went to all training sessions with his father, and he, in turn, taught his son to skate and wield a stick correctly.

Impromptu hockey lessons were interrupted only after the family of our today's hero decided to move to Spain. During the period when the Kharlamovs lived in the city of Bilbao, the main hobby in Valera’s life was football. However, he also retained the warmest memories of his hockey activities.

After returning to the USSR, Valery Kharlamov enrolled in the hockey school of CSKA Moscow.

Career of hockey player Valery Kharlamov

IN early age the future famous striker began to make his first successes in hockey. Coaches and teachers recommended him to the then coach of CSKA, but at first he did not see any special talents in him. The CSKA coach managed to pay attention to the extraordinary young forward only after Kharlamov’s outstanding performance at the tournament in Minsk. Having a small stature, Valery was noted for his excellent ability to think on the hockey rink, “read” the game and find himself exactly in those places where it was necessary.

A magnificent goal by the great Valery Kharlamov

In 1968, the CSKA coach began to slowly allow Kharlamov into the main lineup. The player scored his first goal in April of the same year against Krylya Sovetov, and already in October he began to take to the ice in a line with Petrov and Mikhailov. It was at this moment that the player’s performance began to rapidly climb up the mountain. He scored a lot and often scored assists.

At the beginning of 1969, the entire CSKA youth team was called up to friendly matches of the Soviet national team. From the very first games, the combination of Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov began to show high class and soon became an important playing unit in the team formations of the USSR national team. Kharlamov personally also distinguished himself with high results. At the World Championships in Sweden, the player became one of the most prominent representatives of the hockey team. Therefore, the USSR national team’s final first place was largely due to his team.

Valery Kharlamov. "Last 24 Hours"

Subsequently, there were many more gold medals in the career of our today's hero. In total, “Mr. Russian Hockey” took part in eleven world championships and three Olympics. At each of these forums, the Soviet Union team did not fall below the third final place, winning a total of ten sets of gold medals (8 at the World Championships and 2 at olympic games). At each of the championships, our today's hero was a real leader of the team. The fame of Valery Kharlamov thundered throughout the world. He was called one of the best players of his generation, as well as the best hockey forward in the history of the Soviet Union.

Death of Valery Kharlamov

... In many ways, this is why many fans and figures of Soviet sports perceived the news of the death of the great hockey player as a personal loss. The cause of death of Valery Kharlamov and his wife Irina was car accident, which happened on Leningradskoye Highway on August 27, 1981. His wife, who was driving, could not keep the car on the slippery road, they jumped into the oncoming lane and collided with a truck.

The hockey player’s children, Alexander and Begonita, were left orphans. CSKA players took patronage over them. Subsequently, Alexander, like his father, became a famous hockey player, and Begonita connected her life with rhythmic gymnastics.

Currently, Alexander Kharlamov works as the sports director of Moscow CSKA, and also raises his son Valery (named after his famous grandfather).

Memory of the legendary hockey player

Many years later, his bust was erected at the site of Kharlamov’s death. In addition, the USSR printed collectible coins and stamps with the image legendary hockey player. One way or another, the fate of Valery Borisovich is described in several books, as well as in four documentaries. In addition, Kharlamov is one of the main characters in four artistic paintings, filmed in Russia and Canada.