CSKA Moscow

Names

CSKA Moscow was founded in 1911 and, like many clubs in the former Soviet Union, has seen a number of name changes. From 1928 to 1950 the association was called CDKA Moscow (ЦДКА Москва). In 1951 its name was changed to CDSA Moscow (ЦДСА Москва). In 1957 the sports society was renamed again into CSK MO Moscow (ЦСК МО Москва). The current name of club's football department, PFC CSKA Moscow (ПФК ЦСКА Москва) has been used since 1994.

1911–22: Amateur Society of Skiing Sports (OLLS Moscow) (Russian: Общество Любителей Лыжного Спорта)

1923: Experimental & Demonstrational Playground of Military Education Association (OPPV) (Russian: Опытно-Показательная Площадка Всеобуча)

1924–27: Experimental & Demonstrational Playground of Military Administration (OPPV) (Russian: Опытно-Показательная Площадка Военведа)

1928–50: Sports Club of Central House of the Red Army (CDKA) (Russian: Спортивный Клуб Центрального Дома Красной Армии)

1951–56: Sports Club of Central House of the Soviet Army (CDSA) (Russian: Спортивный Клуб Центрального Дома Советской Армии)

1957–59: Central Sports Club of the Ministry of Defense (CSK MO) (Russian: Центральный Спортивный Клуб Министерства Обороны)

1960–: Central Sports Club of Army (CSKA) (Russian: Центральный Спортивный Клуб Армии)

Foundation and first successes

The history of CSKA football club began in 1911, when a football section was organized in the Amateur Society of Skiing Sports (OLLS).

After the 1917 season, part of the reserve OLLS team moved to the first. In 1921, the champion of the autumn Moscow championship (winner of Fulda Cup) was determined in the final match, in which teams OLLS and KFS took part. The KFS team won 6:0. In the 1922 season, OLLS players won the spring Moscow championship and took second place in the fall championship. In the same year, OLLS won KFS-Kolomyagi Cup, in the final of which, according to the regulations, the winners of the first and second leagues of the Moscow championship met, and Tosmen Cup, where the champions of Moscow and Petrograd met.

Until 1970: Peaks and troughs

The club had its most successful period immediately after the end of the Second World War. At this time, one of the best players in its history and the best scorer in the history of the team, Grigory Fedotov, played for the club. The army men were runners-up in the first edition of the resumed Vysschaya Liga in 1945.

Three consecutive championship titles followed for the first time in league history, including club's first double in 1948. This year the army team won their second USSR Cup. In the semifinals, as a result of a replay, CDKA snatched victory from Dynamo Moscow, and in the final they defeated the current cup holders, Spartak. By that time the main army team became dubbed as the "Team of Lieutenants" (Russian: «Команда Лейтенантов»). After finishing second in 1949, in 1950, the army team became champions again, and in 1951, playing under the new name CDSA (Central House of the Soviet Army), they won a double again, winning both the championship and the cup. The history of the football department from this time is closely linked to the ice hockey department of the club, HC CSKA Moscow, because the leading players like Vsevolod Bobrov played both sports in parallel.

After successful times Olympic Games 1952 in Helsinki marked the beginning of the decline of CDSA Moscow. The club's players formed the core of the national team, which, after tough negotiations, joined FIFA shortly before the Olympic football tournament. Boris Arkadiev became the coach of both the national team and the army club. The first meeting between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia in football is still amongst the most famous matches. On the political level, the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and the Yugoslav leader Josip Tito split in 1948, which resulted in Yugoslavia being excluded from the Communist Information Bureau. Before the match, both Tito and Stalin sent telegrams to their national teams, which showed just how important it was for the two head of states. Yugoslavia led 5–1, but a Soviet comeback in the last 15 minutes resulted in a 5–5 draw. The match was replayed, Yugoslavia winning 3–1. The defeat to the archrivals hit Soviet football hard, especially CDSA and its players. After just three games played in the season, CDSA was forced to withdraw from the league and later disbanded. Furthermore, Boris Arkadiev was stripped of his Merited Master of Sports of the USSR title. For intelligence chief Lavrentiy Beria, the Olympic elimination was the perfect opportunity to eliminate the successful city rival. As head of the KGB, he was also honorary president of Dynamo Moscow - the main rival of CDSA.