Yugoslav football legend Vladimir Beara passes away

SPLIT - The best Yugoslav goalkeeper of all time Vladimir Beara died at the age of 86 in Split, Croatia.

Beara passed away on Sunday to Monday night at his home in Split, reads the release issued by the Croatian football club Hajduk, adding that Beara had suffered a series of strokes over the past several years.

The legendary footballer played a total of 59 matches for the national team of Yugoslavia from 1950 to 1959, winning the silver medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

As Yugoslavia's goalkeeper he participated in three World Cups - in 1950, 1954 and 1958.

He played for Hajduk Split from 1947 to 1955, and then for Belgrade's Crvena Zvezda until 1960.

With these two teams he won seven national league and two cup titles.

Beara ended his career as a goalkeeper for Alemannia Aachen and Viktoria Koln in Germany, and went on to become a football coach. He coached the national team of Cameroon and is largely credited for the country's notable success in international football.

His outstanding agility and remarkable saves earned him the nickname 'rubber man', as well as the respect of his peers.

The great Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin, winner of the 1963 Ballon d'Or, said at the presentation ceremony that, for him, the best goalkeeper in the world is Vladimir Beara.

Photo Tanjug - Photo Fah/ Mario Strmotic