Episode Summary
Hosts
Graham Dunn, Jamie Rooney
Mario Tilney-Bassett
Guest(s)
Release Date
20 April 2023
Duration
69 min
In this triple-header episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by Tottenham fan Mario Tilney-Bassett to explore three very different tales of greatness: Tottenham’s flair and heartbreak in 1986–87, the Netherlands’ triumph at Euro ’88, and the unforgettable courage of FC Start — a team that played for pride, survival, and freedom in wartime Ukraine.
FC Start’s story begins in 1942, in Nazi-occupied Kyiv. The city’s once-great footballers from Dynamo and Lokomotiv Kyiv were scattered, many imprisoned or starving. A handful of them — including Nikolai Trusevich, Ivan Kuzmenko, and Makar Goncharenko — found work at a local bread factory. There, under the banner of FC Start, they began to play again — not for glory, but for dignity.
Their matches against German, Hungarian, and Romanian military teams drew crowds hungry for hope. As FC Start kept winning, their defiance became symbolic. On 9 August 1942, they faced the Luftwaffe’s elite team, Flakelf, in what became known as The Death Match. Despite threats from Nazi officers to lose “for their own safety,” FC Start refused to yield — and won 5–3.
In the aftermath, several players were arrested, tortured, and executed. The Nazi regime attempted to erase their memory, but the story endured. FC Start became a legend — a symbol of sporting resistance and human courage.
This episode explores the truth behind the myth, separating propaganda from fact while honouring those who risked everything for a principle: that some victories are worth dying for.
Takeaways
FC Start’s story embodies football’s power as resistance.
Their courage defied oppression and inspired generations.
The “Death Match” remains a powerful historical symbol.
Myths aside, their defiance was real — and fatal.
FC Start showed that football’s spirit cannot be conquered by fear.
FC Start 1942: The Team That Refused to Lose
In Nazi-occupied Kyiv, 1942, a group of starving ex-footballers and bakers formed a team that would go down in history. They called themselves FC Start. Playing under the shadow of oppression, they faced military teams from the occupying forces — and beat them all.
Drawn from the ranks of Dynamo Kyiv and Lokomotiv players, FC Start became a quiet act of rebellion. When they defeated the Luftwaffe’s elite team, Flakelf, 5–3 on 9 August 1942, despite being warned to lose for their own safety, they achieved something far greater than victory — they humiliated their oppressors.
The consequences were tragic. Several players were arrested, imprisoned, and executed in the months that followed. Yet the legend of FC Start grew, inspiring books, films, and memorials across Ukraine and beyond. Their courage transcended sport; it became a symbol of defiance, unity, and humanity under unimaginable pressure.
The story of FC Start 1942 reminds us that football’s greatest triumphs are not always about trophies — sometimes, they are about standing tall when everything else falls.
Main Topics
Iconic Moments
Nazi occupation of Kyiv and the origins of FC Start
Dynamo Kyiv players’ survival through labour and sport
The 1942 “Death Match” against the Luftwaffe’s Flakelf
Post-war mythmaking and Soviet propaganda
Football as resistance and remembrance
Formation of FC Start at the Kyiv bread factory
First match victory against German military sides
The 5–3 win over Flakelf on 9 August 1942
Arrest and execution of several FC Start players
Posthumous recognition and memorial in Kyiv
The “Death Match” legacy in film, books, and national memory
Notable Manager
No official manager — led collectively by senior player Nikolai Trusevich
Notable Players
Nikolai Trusevich, Makar Goncharenko, Ivan Kuzmenko, Alexei Klimenko, Mykola Korotkykh, Fedor Tyutchev, Mikhail Sviridovsky, Vasyl Sukharev, Mikhail Putistin, Georgi Shvetsov, Lev Gundarev
Style of Play
2-3-5 Formation, Possession-Based, Short Passing, Countering Adversity, Collective Spirit, Courage Under Pressure
FC Start’s football was a defiant echo of pre-war Dynamo Kyiv — structured, intelligent, and brave. Playing in a 2-3-5 formation typical of the era, they relied on technical precision, sharp passing, and positional fluency that had once made Dynamo a force in Soviet football. Despite malnutrition and poor fitness, they maintained a tactical identity built on possession and teamwork rather than physicality.
Their style was defined by survival instinct. Against military opponents with superior equipment, food, and authority, FC Start used spatial awareness and improvisation to compensate for fatigue. Goncharenko and Kuzmenko led the attack, using clever link play to draw defenders out, while Trusevich in goal organised the back line with remarkable composure.
The match against Flakelf symbolised more than sport. Ordered to lose, FC Start began cautiously before unleashing their passing rhythm — short, crisp exchanges designed to frustrate and expose the German defence. Their eventual 5–3 victory was not just technical mastery; it was psychological warfare — proof that spirit could overcome tyranny.
In the harshest conditions imaginable, FC Start preserved the ideals of football artistry: movement, teamwork, and courage. Their legacy is not measured in tactics or trophies but in the dignity they preserved through their play. In 90 minutes, they reclaimed what war had taken — identity, humanity, and hope.
Related Content
If you liked this one, you’ll love these classic episodes. Keep the nostalgia going — explore more from the By Far The Greatest Team Football Podcast archive.
