A Bolivian defender, Roberto Fernandez, who plays for Akron, sparked a wave of speculation when he left a comment on the betting portal Tolyatti about a potential friendly between the Bolivian and Russian national teams. The remark was not an official announcement, but it fed chatter among fans and analysts about possible cross‑continental matchups and workups before bigger competitions.
Fernandez went on to say: “I think the idea of organizing a friendly match between the national teams of Russia and Bolivia would be great. It would be possible to hold one match in Russia and the other in Bolivia. However, it is difficult to say who will win this match today. I really don’t know. If the match is played in Bolivia, the Russian team will have to play at high altitude. But for those who are not used to it, these are still very difficult conditions.” The altitude issue is a known factor in Bolivian venues, where teams often need extra preparation to cope with thinner air and reduced oxygen levels before kickoff.
On the near horizon, Russia was slated to play a friendly against Brunei on November 15, followed by a match with Syria on November 19, as part of a busy period on the calendar. These fixtures come as the team continues to assemble competitiveness off the back of earlier disruptions and in the context of ongoing international governance changes in football.
During the October training camp, plans for a Pakistan visit surfaced; Muhammad Yashal, Pakistan’s media manager, indicated that an unofficial Pakistan side might travel to Russia for the encounter. RFU General Secretary Maxim Mitrofanov voiced disappointment with Pakistan’s behavior, and as a result, Russia did not play any October matches. This sequence underscored how fragile schedules can be when teams navigate unfamiliar logistics and political constraints, particularly in a period when Russia’s participation in many events remains restricted.
In spring 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from participation in competitions controlled by those bodies, following recommendations from the IOC. Russian players missed the 2022 World Cup playoffs, the World Cup itself, and the 2024 European Championship in Germany. Earlier reports also noted that Barinov would not play against Brunei and Syria due to family reasons.