Russia

Russia

The Russia national football team, governed by the Russian Football Union, has one of the most storied histories in European football. As the Soviet Union, the side won the inaugural UEFA European Championship in 1960 and reached the 1966 FIFA World Cup semi-finals. Since becoming Russia after the Soviet dissolution, the team qualified for multiple World Cups and hosted the 2018 tournament, memorably reaching the quarter-finals on home soil. Legendary figures include Lev Yashin, widely regarded as the greatest goalkeeper in history, and modern stars such as Andrei Arshavin and Igor Akinfeev. Following Russia's suspension from international competition in 2022 due to geopolitical reasons, the team has been barred from FIFA and UEFA tournaments, leaving their international future uncertain.