On December 12, 1994, I turned eighty-one. I have a long life path behind me with joys and sorrows in childhood, fantastic popularity in my youth, the tragedy of the war years and the hopes of the post-war... With a serious illness, poverty and almost complete silence of my name after leaving big football. My destiny was directly or indirectly influenced by major political figures of those years - A. M. Kollontai, A. A. Zhdanov, N. S. Khrushchev, V. I. Stalin. I saw S. M. Kirov and I. B. Tito up close. Kings and other dignitaries applauded me. I was invited to the best football teams in the world, called a “diamond” and offered millions for me. Among the ardent admirers of my talent were composer Dmitry Shostakovich, writer Lev Kassil, film artist Pyotr Aleinikov, choreographer Leonid Yakobson, artists Kukryniksy and many, many others... I’m watching There are sad matches of the current Russian championship on television and I ask myself: why has football become so faded? After all, I am one of those who stood at the origins of Russian football, with whom the virtuoso beautiful game began. Who is to blame for the fact that our football has lost its former shine? And how to revive it? I will try to answer these questions in the book offered to you.