# Soviet Union men's national volleyball team

The Soviet Union men's national volleyball team was the national volleyball team that had represented the Soviet Union in the International competitions between 1948 until 1991.
FIVB considers Russia as the inheritor of the records of Soviet Union (1948–1991) and CIS (1992). The USSR Volleyball Federation joined the FIVB in 1948, a year after the foundation of the international governing body. The following year they triumphed in the first FIVB Men’s World Championship and have been dominating the international scene ever since, having won three Summer Olympics, six World Championships, Four World Cups and 12 European Championships.

## History

The USSR Volleyball Federation joined the FIVB in 1948 and the following year they won the first World Championship. The Soviets were soon regularly topping the podium at international competitions such as the Olympic Games, World Championship and European Championships and the World Cup.

## Medals

| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Olympic Games | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| World Championship | 6 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| World Cup | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| World League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| European Championship | 12 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
| Summer Univesiade | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Goodwill Games | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 29 | 8 | 10 | 47 |

## Results
### Olympic Games

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Olympic Games record | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification |
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad | Round | Pos | MW | ML | SW | SL |
| 1964 | Final | Gold | 9 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 5 | Squad | Qualified, World Champions | Qualified, World Champions | Qualified, World Champions | Qualified, World Champions | Qualified, World Champions | Qualified, World Champions |
| 1968 | Final | Gold | 9 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 8 | Squad | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions |
| 1972 | Semifinals | Bronze | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 6 | Squad | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions | Qualified, as defending Olympic Champions |
| 1976 | Final | Silver | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 3 | Squad | Qualified, as European Champions | Qualified, as European Champions | Qualified, as European Champions | Qualified, as European Champions | Qualified, as European Champions | Qualified, as European Champions |
| 1980 | Final | Gold | 6 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 2 | Squad | Qualified, as host country | Qualified, as host country | Qualified, as host country | Qualified, as host country | Qualified, as host country | Qualified, as host country |
| 1984 | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted | Boycotted |
| 1988 | Final | Silver | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 7 | Squad |
| Total | 3 Titles | 6/7 | | | | | | — | | | | | | |

### World Championship

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Championship record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1949 | Final Group | Champions | 8 | 8 | 0 | 24 | 2 | Squad |
| 1952 | Final Group | Champions | 8 | 8 | 0 | 24 | 0 | Squad |
| 1956 | Final Group | 3rd Place | 11 | 9 | 2 | 30 | 10 | Squad |
| 1960 | Final Group | Champions | 10 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 5 | Squad |
| 1962 | Final Group | Champions | 11 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 6 | Squad |
| 1966 | Final Group | 3rd Place | 11 | 7 | 4 | 29 | 15 | Squad |
| 1970 | Final Group | 6th Place | 11 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 16 | Squad |
| 1974 | Final Group | 2nd Place | 11 | 8 | 3 | 27 | 10 | Squad |
| 1978 | Final | Champions | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 3 | Squad |
| 1982 | Final | Champions | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 2 | Squad |
| 1986 | Final | Runners-up | 8 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 5 | Squad |
| 1990 | Semifinals | 3rd Place | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 6 | Squad |
| Total | 6 Titles | 12/12 | | | | | | — |

### World Cup

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Cup record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1965 | | Champions | 7 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 7 | Squad |
| 1969 | | 3rd Place | 6 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 8 | Squad |
| 1977 | | Champions | 8 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 5 | Squad |
| 1981 | Round Robin | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 2 | Squad |
| 1985 | Round Robin | Runners-up | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 8 | Squad |
| 1989 | Round Robin | 3rd Place | 7 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 11 | Squad |
| 1991 | Round Robin | Champions | 8 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 4 | Squad |
| Total | 4 Titles | 7/7 | | | | | | — |

### World League

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World League record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1990 | Semifinals | 4th Place | 14 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 21 | Squad |
| 1991 | Semifinals | 3rd Place | 18 | 12 | 6 | 46 | 28 | Squad |
| Total | 0 Titles | 2/2 | 32 | 20 | 12 | 75 | 49 | — |

### European Championship

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
European Championship record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | Squad |
| 1948 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 1950 | Round Robin | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0 | Squad |
| 1951 | Final Group | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 0 | Squad |
| 1955 | Final Group | 4th Place | 10 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 12 | Squad |
| 1958 | Final Group | 3rd Place | 11 | 8 | 3 | 29 | 13 | Squad |
| 1963 | Final Group | 3rd Place | 9 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 16 | Squad |
| 1967 | Final Group | Champions | 10 | 10 | 0 | 30 | 6 | Squad |
| 1971 | Final Group | Champions | 6 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 4 | Squad |
| 1975 | Final Group | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 3 | Squad |
| 1977 | Final | Champions | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 5 | Squad |
| 1979 | Final Group | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 3 | Squad |
| 1981 | Final Group | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 3 | Squad |
| 1983 | Final Group | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 3 | Squad |
| 1985 | Final Group | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 2 | Squad |
| 1987 | Final | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 5 | Squad |
| 1989 | Semifinals | 4th Place | 7 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 10 | Squad |
| 1991 | Final | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 1 | Squad |
| Total | 12 Titles | 16/17 | | | | | | — |

### Goodwill Games

Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
Goodwill Games record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
| 1986 | Final | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 6 |
| 1990 | Final | Runners up | 5 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 8 |
| Total | 1 Title | 2/2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 14 |

## Team
### 1990 Last world Championship Squad

Head coach: Viacheslav Platanov
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | 1990 club |
| 1 | Oleg Shatunov | ( 1967 -02-01)1 February 1967 (aged 23) | 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | Automobilist |
| 2 | Andrey Kuznetsov | ( 1968 -04-14)14 April 1968 (aged 22) | 199 cm (6 ft 6 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | CSKA Moskva |
| 3 | Oleksandr Shadchyn | ( 1969 -04-17)17 April 1969 (aged 21) | 204 cm (6 ft 8 in) | 91 kg (201 lb) | Shakhter |
| 4 | Ruslan Olikhver | ( 1969 -04-24)24 April 1969 (aged 21) | 201 cm (6 ft 7 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | Radiotekhnik |
| 5 | Igor Runov | ( 1963 -02-08)8 February 1963 (aged 27) | 202 cm (6 ft 8 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | CSKA Moskva |
| 6 | Evgueni Krasilnikov | ( 1965 -04-07)7 April 1965 (aged 25) | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | Dinamo |
| 8 | Dimitri Fomin | ( 1968 -01-21)21 January 1968 (aged 22) | 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | CSKA Moskva |
| 9 | Igor Naumov | ( 1967 -04-28)28 April 1967 (aged 23) | 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | Iskra |
| 10 | Yuri Sapega | ( 1965 -01-01)1 January 1965 (aged 25) | 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | |
| 11 | Yaroslav Antonov | ( 1963 -01-10)10 January 1963 (aged 27) | 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | CSKA Moskva |
| 12 | Yuriy Cherednik | ( 1966 -07-25)25 July 1966 (aged 24) | 203 cm (6 ft 8 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | Automobilist |
| 13 | Viktor Sidelnikov | ( 1963 -01-15)15 January 1963 (aged 27) | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | Automobilist |