--- title: "Yozhef Sabo: Dynamo is my club, I care deeply about it" description: "Legendary ex-player and coach of Dynamo Kyiv Yozhef Sabo shared memories of his hard childhood, first steps in football, and the club's victories." date: 2026-10-26T06:04:49.653Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/yozhef-sabo-dynamo-is-my-club tags: [yozhef-sabo, dynamo-kyiv, football-history, ussr-championship, uzhhorod] author: "Dmitriy Shatolov" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Yozhef Sabo: Dynamo is my club, I care deeply about it ![Legendary football player and coach Yozhef Sabo sitting at a wooden table in a bright cafe](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/26/yozhef-sabo-dinamo-eto-moy-klub/yozhef-sabo-dinamo-eto-moy-klub-1.webp) ## Key Points - Yozhef Sabo grew up in a large family in Uzhhorod during war and post-war years - First coach Zoltan Dyorfi convinced the football player's mother to let him play sports - Sabo's debut for Dynamo Kyiv took place on June 1, 1959, against Tottenham Hotspur - In 1961, Dynamo won the USSR championship for the first time under Vyacheslav Solovyov Legendary player and coach of Dynamo Kyiv, Yozhef Sabo, in a big interview with Sport RBC.UA, shared memories of his difficult childhood in Uzhhorod, the beginning of his sports career, the championship season of the 1960s, and the significance of the Kyiv club in his life. The veteran of domestic football spoke about overcoming the hardships of wartime, his first mentors, and his fateful move to the capital's team. ### Childhood in Uzhhorod and lessons in discipline The childhood years of Yozhef Sabo fell on difficult wartime and post-war times in Uzhhorod, when borders and the way of life were constantly changing. His father was drafted into the Hungarian army before 1941, returned from captivity in 1947, and died four years later, leaving a large family in the care of their mother. Older brothers worked to help the mother make ends meet, and later the family had to move from their own house into a cramped barracks. These trials forged the future player's iron character and responsibility. His serious path in sports began thanks to coach Zoltan Dyorfi, who noticed the boy at the stadium near the plant and instilled strict discipline in him. When, after successes in the Transcarpathian youth team, the mother demanded that he stop training and go to work to help the family, Dyorfi personally came to Sabo's home and convinced her to give her son a chance. Thanks to this intervention, young Yozhef continued to play football, combining his studies at an evening school after the seventh grade with daily training loads. ### Move to Dynamo Kyiv and historical debut The young player of Spartak Uzhhorod was noticed by capital scouts, and soon a general arrived for him, Andriy Havashi, and Vasyl Turyanchyk, taking them to Kyiv by plane. The youngest in the family, Sabo faced the fact that his mother personally came to the capital, trying to take him home, but eventually resigned herself upon seeing her son's successes and first earnings. Sabo's debut for Dynamo took place on June 1, 1959, in a match against Tottenham Hotspur, where the high pace of the game and colossal loads amazed the young debutant. After that exhausting meeting, experienced partner Yuriy Voynov approached the exhausted Sabo and predicted a great football future for him, which became the strongest motivation for the novice player. A turning point in the club's history was 1961, when Kyiv residents won the USSR championship title for the first time, breaking the long-term dominance of Moscow clubs. Coach Vyacheslav Solovyov tirelessly instilled in the players a belief in their own strength, helping them overcome the psychological barrier and prove their superiority on the all-Union arena. ### A veteran's perspective on modern football Decades later, Yozhef Sabo continues to closely monitor the performances of his home club, regularly analyzing the team's matches in the national championship and European cups. The veteran's statements are often distinguished by uncompromising directness and harsh criticism when the wards' play does not meet the high standards of the Kyiv school. For Sabo, Dynamo remains an integral part of life, for which he sincerely worries, demanding complete dedication and fighting qualities on the pitch from the current generation. ### The significance of Yozhef Sabo's legacy The life and sports path of Yozhef Sabo reflects the entire epic of the formation of Ukrainian football from post-war devastation to triumphal victories on the union arena. His story serves as a vivid example of how talent combined with incredible discipline and overcoming life's adversities allows one to ascend to the sports Olympus. The veteran's authority remains a guideline for new generations of players today, reminding them of the continuity of traditions and loyalty to club colors. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Йожеф Сабо: "Динамо" – это мой клуб. Я за него переживаю"](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/yozhef-sabo-dinamo-tse-miy-klub-nogo-perezhivayu-1792994485.html) - Primary source interview with Sport RBC.UA featuring detailed memories of Yozhef Sabo about his childhood, career, and Dynamo Kyiv. - ["Играют стоя". Сабо объяснил, чего не хватает нынешнему Динамо](https://www.ua-football.com/foreign/europa_league/1784289730-igrayut-stoya-sabo-obyasnil-chego-ne-hvataet-nyneshnemu-dinamo.html) - Подтверждено по источнику ua-football.com - ["В Динамо нет настоящего мужика". Сабо высказал очередную порцию критики в адрес киевской команды](https://www.ua-football.com/ukrainian/high/1792583726-v-dinamo-net-nastoyaschego-muzhika-sabo-vyskazal-ocherednuyu-porciyu-kritiki-v-adres-kievskoy-komandy.html) - Подтверждено по источнику ua-football.com - ["Наши проиграют": Сабо дал однозначный прогноз на матч "Динамо" с азербайджанцами в Лиге ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/sport-oboz/nashi-proigrayut-sabo-dal-odnoznachnyij-prognoz-na-match-dinamo-s-azerbajdzhantsami-v-lige-konferentsij.htm) - Подтверждено по источнику obozrevatel.com ## FAQ ### Where did Yozhef Sabo spend his childhood? Yozhef Sabo spent his childhood in Uzhhorod during war and post-war years in a large family. ### Who was Sabo's first football mentor? His first serious coach was Zoltan Dyorfi in Uzhhorod, who accustomed him to discipline. ### When did Yozhef Sabo debut for Dynamo Kyiv? Sabo's debut for Dynamo took place on June 1, 1959, in a match against Tottenham Hotspur.