On August 7, 2026, Soviet and Russian football manager Valery Nepomnyashchy, whose early career was formed in Turkmenistan, celebrated his 83rd birthday. Born in Slavgorod, Russia, in 1943, he began his football trajectory in Ashgabat. After playing for youth select teams and graduating from Turkmen State University in 1969, a serious injury forced him to retire as an active player at age 25 and transition into full-time coaching.

Nepomnyashchy developed his managerial methodology in Ashgabat, serving as senior coach at the Sports Committee's football academy during 1970–1978 and 1983–1988, while managing FC Kolkhozchi in 1979 and 1982–1983. The practical foundation established in Turkmenistan paved the way for his international appointment. Following advanced coaching courses in Moscow in 1988, he accepted an offer to become the head coach of the Cameroon national team.

The peak of his coaching career occurred at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. Under his guidance, Cameroon produced one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history by defeating defending champions Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, 1:0 in the opening match through a goal by François Omam-Biyik. Cameroon proceeded to reach the quarterfinals, becoming the first African nation in history to achieve that milestone at a World Cup.

Following his success with Cameroon, Nepomnyashchy managed top-flight clubs and national teams across Turkey, South Korea, China, Japan, and Uzbekistan, while also serving in technical and advisory roles for Russian clubs Tom Tomsk, Baltika Kaliningrad, and CSKA Moscow. Throughout his international career, Nepomnyashchy has consistently cited his years in Turkmenistan as the most foundational period of his professional life.