Vysshaya Liga Belarus football league is one of the leading professional football leagues in Belarus. With the participation of top domestic clubs, this tournament attracts the attention of many football fans around the world. In this article, 2019 Southeast Asian Games will learn about the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament, from its history to famous clubs and players, as well as the notable records of this tournament.
What is Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament?
Vysshaya Liga Belarus (Vietnamese meaning “Belarus Top Division”) is the highest professional football league in Belarus. This tournament is organized by the Belarusian Football Federation (BFF) and launched in 1992, after Belarus separated from the Soviet Union and became an independent country.
Initially, the Belarusbank Premier League football tournament had only 10 participating clubs and was organized according to the cumulative points system. However, since 1996, this tournament has switched to a round-robin system and currently has 16 clubs participating each season.
History of formation and development process
As mentioned above, the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament was born in 1992, after Belarus separated from the Soviet Union and became an independent country. Previously, football clubs in Belarus often participated in Soviet tournaments but did not have their own professional tournament.
From 1992 to 1995, this tournament had only 10 participating clubs and was organized on a cumulative points system. Clubs frequently change their names and only a few clubs maintain their original names such as Dinamo Minsk, Dinamo Brest and Shakhtyor Soligorsk.
Since 1996, the tournament switched to a round-robin system and had 16 clubs participating. This was also the period when football clubs in Belarus began to invest more in squads and infrastructure, thereby helping the tournament grow.
Form of participation in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament
Currently, the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament has 16 participating clubs and is organized according to a round-robin system. Each season lasts from March to October and consists of 30 rounds.
The clubs will compete against each other in two legs, a total of 30 matches. Scores will be calculated based on a system of 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and no points for a loss.
At the end of the season, the club that tops the rankings becomes the champion of the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football league and has the opportunity to participate in European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
Latest rankings of Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament
Below is the latest rankings of the Belarusbank Premier League football tournament after 6 rounds of competition:
> See more: What is the BFA Premier League Barbados?
Clubs participating in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament
Currently, there are a total of 12 clubs participating in the Belarusbank Premier League football tournament. Below is a list of these clubs:
- Shakhtyor Soligorsk
- Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino
- Dinamo Brest
- Energetik-BGU Minsk
- FK Slutsk
- Neman Grodno
- FC Minsk
- FK Vitebsk
- Isloch Minsk Raion
- Rukh Brest
- Dinamo Minsk
- Belshina Bobruisk
Famous players who played in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament
Although not a major tournament and with the participation of famous players around the world, the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament has still witnessed the participation of famous players in the football industry. international. Here are some prominent names:
- Alexander Hleb: Former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder played for BATE Borisov club in Vysshaya Liga Belarus from 2012 to 2015.
- Sergei Kornilenko: Belarusian striker has spent time playing football in the Belarusian Premier League with clubs such as Dinamo Minsk, BATE Borisov and Shakhtyor Soligorsk.
- Vitali Kutuzov: Former AC Milan striker played for Dinamo Minsk club in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament from 2011 to 2012.
- Sergei Gurenko: The Belarusian player has had a long playing career in the Belarusian Premier League football league with clubs such as Dinamo Minsk, BATE Borisov and FC Minsk.
- Timofei Kalachev: Belarusian midfielder has been with the Shakhtyor Soligorsk club throughout his career and has also played for the Belarusian national team.
Achievements of clubs in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament
Below are the achievements of the clubs in the Belarusbank Premier League football tournament up to now:
- Shakhtyor Soligorsk: 6 times champion (2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2018, 2019)
- BATE Borisov: 15 times champion (1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- Dinamo Minsk: 7 times champion (1992, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97, 2004)
- Dinamo Brest: 1 time champion (2019)
- Neman Grodno: never won
- FC Minsk: never won
- FK Vitebsk: never won
- Isloch Minsk Raion: never won
- Rukh Brest: never won
- Belshina Bobruisk: never won
Records of the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament
- Shakhtyor Soligorsk is the only club to win 3 consecutive titles in the Belarusian Premier League football tournament (2005, 2006, 2007).
- BATE Borisov is the club with the most titles in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament with 15 championships.
- Sergei Gurenko is the player with the most appearances in the Belarusian Premier League football tournament with 594 matches.
- Vitali Rodionov is the player who scores the most goals in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament with 142 goals.
- BATE Borisov is the only club to win the treble in the Belarusian Premier League football tournament (2009).
- Dinamo Minsk is the only club to win a consecutive treble in the Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament (1992, 1992/93, 1993/94).
Conclude
Vysshaya Liga Belarus football tournament is the top football playground in Belarus, attracting the attention and following of a large number of football fans in this country. With a history of formation and development over nearly 32 years, this tournament has become one of the country’s leading football tournaments.