Football in Belarus

In Belarus, a country that gained independence in 1991, football is the most popular sport, closely followed by ice hockey. The national association takes part in all competitions organized by FIFA and UEFA at senior and youth level, as well as in women’s football. Dinamo Minsk were once one of the powerhouses in the top flight of Soviet Union football, sometimes playing in European club competitions. A number of Belarusians, such as Sergei Aleinikov, Sergei Borovsky, Sergei Gotsmanov, Ihar Hurynovich, Georgi Kondratiev, Aleksandr Prokopenko, Andrei Zygmantovich and Eduard Malofeyev (as both player and manager), represented the Soviet Union. Today, the star of Belarusian football is Alexander Hleb, who currently plays for BATE Borisov.