Viktor Khlus: "If I hadn't met Lobanovskyi, perhaps I wouldn't have become such a football player"

Famous former Dynamo Kyiv forward Viktor Khlus gave a candid interview detailing his long and winding path into big-time football. A native of the small town of Novhorod-Siverskyi, he went through a unique sports school: from playing for the school team and performing in Chernivtsi to the amateur team 'Refrigeratork' from Fastiv. It was hard work and a scoring instinct that allowed the young forward to attract the attention of scouts from leading Ukrainian clubs of that time, which fundamentally changed his destiny and opened the door to the highest level.

Fateful meeting with Valeriy Lobanovskyi

A special place in the veteran's memories is occupied by his move to Kyiv in 1980 and his acquaintance with legendary coach Valeriy Lobanovskyi. According to Viktor Khlus, their first meeting happened quite unexpectedly right on the street near the railway station when he, together with a representative of Bukovyna, was heading to the Dynamo base. Lobanovskyi himself was standing before me, and the moment felt unreal, as if it was not happening in reality. Having spent his first season mostly in the reserve squad, Khlus earned a promotion to the main squad at the beginning of 1981, securing his place among the eighteen best players of the country's main team.

European cups, injuries, and foreign experience

Viktor Khlus's football destiny included bright matches in European tournaments, USSR championship gold medals, and severe injuries that subsequently adjusted his professional career. After Dynamo Kyiv, the forward played for Chornomorets Odesa, Guria Lanchkhuti, and spent ten eventful years in Sweden, adapting to local football. This colossal playing experience shaped him not only into a strong athlete but also into a mature person capable of overcoming crisis moments both on and off the pitch.

Continuing traditions as a veteran

Having finished his professional playing career, Viktor Ivanovych did not leave his beloved cause, devoting himself entirely to the development and support of the football movement. He actively worked with young talents, organized children's tournaments, and today heads the Kyiv Football Veterans Association. Drawing parallels between the past and the present, Khlus regularly shares his expert opinion on the state of Ukrainian football, not hesitating to criticize modern playing trends and urging young players to adopt the best traditions of the Soviet and European schools.